


Rewrite The Stars | Book 1

by PrincessofAsgard18



Series: Rewrite The Stars [1]
Category: Loki Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asgard (Marvel), Aunt-Niece Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Good Loki (Marvel), Hurt Loki (Marvel), Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Jotunn | Frost Giant, Jötunheimr | Jotunheim, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki Gets Love, Loki Turns Bad, Love, Love Confessions, Magic, Miðgarðr | Midgard, Protective Loki (Marvel), Romance, Sister-Sister Relationship, Trickster Loki (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:13:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 40,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28010721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessofAsgard18/pseuds/PrincessofAsgard18
Summary: Once there were two worlds. One is our world that involves a broken family with broken sisters. The other is a golden realm with two princes who both want the throne. But what if those two worlds collide and a romance starts. The eldest sister and the youngest prince might even rewrite the stars.
Relationships: Loki/Original Female Character, thor/jane
Series: Rewrite The Stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2051610
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story does not belong to me, but to Starswim. I just give it my own spin of it.
> 
> The original book is called: When Storms Come And Stars Collide.
> 
> I do not own the characters or the plot, my OC is the only one I own.

_**“Once mankind accepted a simple truth, that they were not alone in this universe.”** _  
  
A wise man once said that ‘seeing is believing’. Humanity was raised to never believe in the impossible. There was no such thing as magic or aliens in outer space. Many created these myths and tales based on beliefs and dreams. Some men tried the impossible: sailed across seas to find the fabled city of gold, hiked into the woods to find Bigfoot, or put together a view liquids to create potions. Normality once branded them as ‘madness’. The word alone could either put a person into an asylum or onto pages from history books.  
  
Some people were able to shapeshift themselves into another person. Others could teleport to other places. Some could move objects with their minds. And some could control the elements.  
  
All were branded as freaks, monsters, villains, but in the end, they were known as extraordinary. After many years of these people hiding themselves and their gifts, the list of people who had magic continued on. Parents had taught their children that anything was possible if they believe.  
  
One of these people who had magic was playing with it on the roof, looking at golden dust figures that moved in the palm of her hand.  
  
“Excuse me, young lady?”  
  
She gasped and whirled around to face the intruder behind her. He was an older, tan man with long, dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail, wearing a ‘Guns and Roses’ sweatshirt and ripped jeans.  
  
“Isn’t it a little late to be out here, past curfew?”  
  
Nobody would’ve thought him to be a man of authority. Nobody pegged him as a college professor, but he was. Nobody should judge a book by its cover. The frightened girl knew that he was so much more.  
  
Catherine Roberts puts a hand on her chest, taking deep breaths, “Grandpapa, it’s you, I…”  
  
She stammered for an explanation, “I know I’m not supposed to be out, practising magic, but…”  
  
The man gave her a pat on the shoulder while smiling at her.  
  
“I’m glad you are trying your best to control your magic.”  
  
“Did you see the figures I’ve made with it?”  
  
“I did,” he kneeled down and ruffled her blonde hair.  
  
“And it looked beautiful.”  
  
“Aren’t you scared? Scared that I could hurt you when I lose control?” Catherine asked, her eyes cast down with small tears in them.  
  
“Cathy,” her grandfather took her hands, lifting his eldest granddaughter’s chin up as well, “you could never hurt me, even if your magic gets out of control. The gift that you have is-“  
  
“Part of me,” Catherine said with a small smile.  
  
Her grandfather chuckled, giving her a kiss on the head, “You are the most special girl in the world, alright.”  
  
He sighed in satisfaction, watching the stars above him, “I, too, come up here a lot. When I was living with your grandmother, she assumed I was cheating.”  
  
“Is that why you are no longer married, and she is far away, across the Atlantic?”  
  
“And you have her honesty and nose,” her grandfather added.  
  
“Yes. But you’ve got to admit,” Catherine looked at him with a serious look, “your theory about the Northern Lights is kind of far-fetched. I mean, everyone knows that they only appear near the North Pole. You and aunt Jane fly out to Alaska every year to see it.”  
  
“Maybe if we make the lights our own, we can see the show in shorts for once.”  
  
Catherine giggled, “Or we can use my magic.”  
  
“Cathy,” he scolded.  
  
“You would put yourself in danger if you would show your magic out in the open for other people. Some might want to take advantage off it. And using your magic would not only be too simple, but it’s cheating.”  
  
“I’m sorry, Grandpapa.”  
  
The smile returned on the man’s face.  
  
“Me and your aunt will figure it out, Cathy,” her grandfather placed an arm around her shoulder, tugging her close.  
  
“If me and your aunt can accomplish this, they might nominate us for a Noble Prize. And you’ll be the inspiration of us doing this.”  
  
“Grandpapa,” Catherine whined.  
  
He knew she didn’t care for glory, only about her family. She was a little camera shy, like her grandmother, aunt, and mother.  
  
“Hey, did you forget what I’ve taught you?”  
  
“That anything is possible? Of course, I haven’t,” the two shared a laugh.  
  
“But does that mean I have to speak in front of a camera and to a dozen of people?”  
  
“I know that you can do it,” her grandfather squeezed her hand as she tilted her head under his chin.  
  
“You’ll be as strong as a Queen.”  
  
“You think of me as a Queen?”  
  
“I would serve as a loyal servant. And I would even make a fool out of myself in the court, just to see you smile when you are feeling sad. If Her Majesty would be fine with it?”  
  
Catherine laughed with him. She knew that he was just joking, she would never be queen. But it was sweet to know that her grandfather thought so highly of her.  
  
Her grandfather pointed at the stars.  
  
“Look at the stars. See how they come together and shine this world. One star alone can’t accomplish the light by itself.”  
  
“But together they can,” Catherine added.  
  
“Cathy, these stars are no different then us. We all need help – care for one another. That is what makes this dark world bright. And sometimes, they will need a leader to send them to the right path.”  
  
Catherine giggled, “Is this astronomy lesson turning into leadership lesson?”  
  
“Not exactly a lesson in leadership, just returning the favour and giving you an important life lesson.”  
  
“Favour?”  
  
“For inspiring me to start creating an aurora. Your kindness brings me faith, especially at the times when I’ve came close to quitting this profession.”  
  
Catherine looked at him shocked, “C’mon, Grandpapa. You? Quitting? That word is not in your vocabulary.”  
  
“We all got bad days, Cathy,” her grandfather hugged his granddaughter.  
  
“We just need to stick together and shine. Everyone is your family. I told this to your mother once…” he swayed his head ear-to-ear at the specific memory, “while she was watching TV. I doubt she paid attention.”  
  
Catherine shrugged, “She probably didn’t understand the importance of it back then.”  
  
“No, I told her last week,” her grandfather corrected.  
  
“If your mother did pick up on what I said to her, she might pass the lesson to your sister and then your new-born brother.”  
  
Catherine widened her eyes, “Wait, new-born? You mean-“  
  
His nod and smile confirmed the news. He became a grandfather again.  
  
She cheered, tackling him with a hug, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?! I’m his big sister!”  
  
“I just wanted to savour the moment,” her grandfather guided her towards the building’s entrance inside.  
  
“Grandpapa, what role do I play in the family?”  
  
“With your gentle, firm, and kind nature, I would say you take the role of the mother pretty well. Our ancestors had a special name for people who had such a role.”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“They call them: _Mhysa_.”  
  
Catherine smiled, allowing her grandfather to take the lead, while she thought of the special name. They huddled together with Jane Foster inside to video chat with Wendy and to see the bundle of joy. Her grandfather’s mood went down when he found out his grandson’s name – another reason to despise the child’s father. That man named the baby after a president who forced his ancestors to walk down the ‘Trail of Tears’.  
  
But the main reason was about his eldest granddaughter. When she was born, he was disgusted to hear that the man hated the child for having magical abilities. He, the man, and Wendy were the only ones of the family that knew of Catherine’s gift. When the second daughter was born, who didn’t have powers, the children’s father demanded that Wendy would get rid of their eldest daughter, who he saw as a monster. Luckily, Wendy had send Catherine to live with Jane, her godmother. She had told her father and Jane to give all the love they had while raising Catherine, so that she might grow up in a loving family, instead of a hateful one.  
  
Little did everyone know that in two years, there will be a new trail of tears, and the broken family will forget about the stars above.  
  
Only Catherine remained to remember her grandfather’s lesson, and she took the title ‘Mhysa’ very seriously. For it was in her eyes the only way to keep the family together.  
  
This story won’t only focus on this colourful family but another that was opposite based on royalty and immortality. Their story didn’t start in the twenty-first century but back in the ninth century, in a different universe.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_**“In some worlds, a man believed that they were home to their gods. Others… they knew to fear.”** _  
  
Many people in a small village gathered to watch blue rays light up the sky. Not too far away, across the waters, there was a vast army of huge, blue creatures. Their king was holding a small, ice casket that contained a special power inside of it.  
  
_**“From the realm of cold and darkness came the Frost Giants.”** _  
  
King Laufey used the weapon to destroy a ship sailing across the ocean, putting out fire torches and fire pits, and freezing the entire village. Screams echoed as the people became victims of the Casket of Winters.  
  
**_“Threatening to plunge the mortal world into a new Ice Age. But humanity will not face this threat alone.”_**  
  
A bright aura cast from the sky; the Bi-Frost. Once the light disappeared, an army of demi-gods and their king – Odin Allfather – stood before the Frost Giants, ready for battle. The two kings stared at each other challengingly before everyone started fighting. Frost Giants froze some and crushed their opponents with their icy fists, while the Einherjar warriors stabbed the Frost Giants with their spears. King Odin fought a monstrous bunch with his Gungnir.  
  
_**“Our armies drove the Frost Giants back into the heart of their world. The cost was great! In the end, their king fell.”** _  
  
King Laufey was lying on the ground, defeated. A weapon – the Gungnir – pointed straight at him by Odin, who had lost his eye during the battle. When the war of the Frost Giants was over, the remaining soldiers and king left Jotunheim, taking the Casket of Ancient Winters with them.  
  
_**“And the source of their power was taken from them. And the last great war ended, we withdrew from the other worlds, and return home into the world eternal. Asgard.”** _  
  
  
  
  
  
“And here we remain as a beacon of hope, shining out across the stars, and though we have fallen into the myths and legends. It was Asgard – its warriors that brought peace to the universe,” Odin finished the tale for his two sons.  
  
One was golden blonde and red – Thor – God of Thunder; while the other was raven black and green – Loki – God of Mischief. Both were different, two sides of the same coin. Though, they possessed the same dream. Their father led them into a hallway, where the Casket of Ancient Winters was displayed along with Odin’s other prized trinkets.  
  
"But that day will come when one of you…” Odin stepped forward and turned to face his sons with one eye, while a golden eye patch covered the other, “has to defend that peace.”  
  
“Do the Frost Giants still live?” the younger prince asked curiously.  
  
“When I’m king,” the older prince pointed at himself pridefully before throwing punches.  
  
“I’ll hunt the monsters down and slay them all!”  
  
He smiled at his father, “Just as you did, Father.”  
  
“A wise king never seeks out war, but…” Odin paused, looking at each son for a brief moment, before continuing, “he must be ready for it.”  
  
He finished as he walked past his children.  
  
The brothers looked at each other with a smirk before racing past a displayed hammer, making it to their father’s side. Both of them were holding his hand.  
  
“I’m ready, Father!” Thor stated with determination.  
  
“So am I!” Loki claimed as well.  
  
Odin smiled proudly at his two sons, squeezing their hands, “Only one of you can ascend to the throne. But both of you were born to be kings.”


	2. Chapter 1: Years Later

The alarm clock went off around seven o’clock, making Catherine Roberts wake up. She was in her room in Smith Motors.  
  
As she stood up, she sighed. A new day had begun with her simple routine. She opened her closet and pulled out a blue college dress. Before she could really start her day, Catherine stopped in front of her dressing table, where a photo stood of her grandfather. She kissed her fingertips before touching her grandfather’s face.  
  
“Morning, Grandpapa. I miss you,” she whispered at the picture.  
  
As she walked out of her room, she remembered the name her grandfather had given her as the family title.  
  
_Mhysa_.  
  
She never told her family about it, but in her mind, she wore the title with honour.  
  
Catherine met up with her aunt – Jane Foster, and her aunt’s colleague and former professor – Erik Selvig inside Smith Motors, a closed down auto shop rented as a temporary research lab. He seated himself at the table with a coffee cup in his hand. A stack of pancakes rested on the centre, coated with syrup on top. Across the table laid another cup of coffee brewed for Jane.  
  
“Good morning, aunt Jane,” Catherine said as she kissed her aunt’s cheek.  
  
“Morning,” Jane whispered as she took her coffee and sat across Erik, helping herself with breakfast.  
  
Before Catherine went to sit down as well, she walked over to Erik and placed a kiss on his cheek as well.  
  
“Good morning, Erik,” she said with a kind smile.  
  
“Good morning, Catherine,” Erik said with a smile as well.  
  
Catherine sat down and placed a few pancakes on her plate.  
  
“I see that Izzy was generous with the cake’s thickness,” Jane commented.  
  
“Because she knows that you’re going to need it by the numbers we have.”  
  
The tree of them groaned when the glass door slammed open on cue.  
  
“Get back here, you little twerp!”  
  
“Not again,” Catherine sighed, taking a sip of her apple juice.  
  
Two children chased around the table. Mini Iron Man took the lead with a toy gun in his hand, while his older sister trailed behind with a fierce look on her face. She was taller than him, but it didn’t mean she was fast.  
  
Erik never liked conflict, but he was used to the college drama back in Virginia. It took years of practise to stay out of the way; otherwise, he might spill coffee on himself, again.  
  
For Catherine it was worse. These two were her brother and sister, and most of the time, she would need to pull them off each other. Her brother was fond of her, but her sister was another story.  
  
“Kids!” Jane called, knowing that she would be ignored.  
  
“Knock it off!” T  
  
his was embarrassing; they knew Erik was here for work. They were old enough to know not to fight in front of a guest. If proper guardians were around, they would’ve put the children in their place.  
  
Before either Catherine or Erik could utter a word, somebody barged inside as if the lab was his home, greeting the residents with a huge smile on his face. The professor was flabbergasted to see the intrusive eighteen-year-old. Did the boy have any etiquette or common sense to knock before entering someone’s rental home?  
  
“Good morning, everybody!” the boy greeted, ignoring the chaos to his right.  
  
“Lady Catherine,” he said with a mocking bow and teasing smile.  
  
Catherine rolled her eyes playfully and smiled.  
  
“Jane – Miss Foster, you look lovely this morning, as usual.” Garret Bradley was the team’s neighbour since the arrival – one month. His mother forced him to come and welcome Jane and Catherine in town with a basket of peanut butter cookies. After that, he continued to come solo every day. Jane didn’t mind the company for he was around Catherine and Kelsey’s age. She thought they could be friends for the time being. However, obvious to everyone including the sleeping assistant, he’s got a huge crush on Jane.  
  
Unfortunately for Garret, Jane didn’t have time to return the compliment or make introductions.  
  
Erik scolded the boy for her, “Excuse me, son, how can you just barge into somebody’s home? Don’t you ever knock first?”  
  
Garret shrugged, “Don’t look at me.”  
  
He gestured at the glass windows and the open garage door where the minivan took place, “If y’all are really worried about privacy, you should put up some curtains.”  
  
“But still, what’s wrong with knocking?” Erik asked.  
  
“I peeked through the windows, and nobody was in their underwear. If someone did, I would’ve knocked. I’m not a pervert. So, Jane, this must be-“  
  
“Garret, not now,” Jane stood up to take charge.  
  
“Help yourself with some pancakes.”  
  
Garret’s grin extended, “Really? Aw, thanks, Jane. You’re the best.”  
  
He settled down on Jane’s seat, stacking four pancakes on a plate. He took a mouthful in his mouth and moaned in satisfaction.  
  
“She is a good cook.”  
  
“Actually, the diner made them,” Catherine corrected him.  
  
“Then Jane is a great buyer of breakfast.”  
  
The professor huffed, sipping his coffee and paying no mind to the children, until one of them bumped into his chair, spilling the coffee onto his lap. His painful yell reached deaf ears for Jane was busy dealing with the kids first. Garret volunteered to help Erik as he stood up from his seat and used a cloth napkin to clean the burning stain on his front. Meanwhile, he was looking at Jane, hoping to gain her attention and favour. Women were typically attracted to gentlemen. Garret was so distracted by the woman’s beauty, he was oblivious to where his hand was coming close to on the older man’s body. Erik rolled his eyes, snatching the napkin to clean himself up.  
  
“Stop it! Stop it!” Jane grabbed the mini Iron Man in the nick of time while extending an arm to keep the teenager away.  
  
Lucky for her, Catherine whispered a spell that would keep her sister still and out of their brother’s way.  
  
“What the hell is going on?” she ripped off the mask, revealing a seven-year-old boy with shaggy, golden hair and blue eyes, opposing his sister, Kelsey’s, brown hair and eyes.  
  
But him and Catherine did look quite a lot.  
  
Nobody would’ve thought that the three of them would be siblings from each other. The second child gained her mother’s features, the youngest gained his father’s handsome features, and the eldest looked like her ancestors from her mother.  
  
At this moment, Catherine’s sister and brother paid no mind to etiquette.  
  
“Well?” Jane pressed.  
  
“Look what he did, Jane!” the teenage girl cried, angrily showing off the wet strands of hair and stain on her white tank.  
  
“Look what he did to me! I want to kill him!”  
  
“Aunt Jane, use my gun!” the boy suggested, offering the toy weapon to his aunt.  
  
“Help me defeat Madame Masque and save princess Cinderella!”  
  
He looked at his oldest sister and smiled proudly at her.  
  
The boy definitely gained his mother’s enthusiasm and creativity. He was a huge superhero fan, unlike his father. Ever since that day he watched Iron Man on the news, AJ became obsessed with superheroes. He read all the comics, played the video games, and even dressed up as his heroes while watching the cartoon versions of themselves fighting crime on TV. His elder sisters had both gain a role whenever he played a superhero. Kelsey would be the villain, while Catherine was the princess that needed to be rescued. Kelsey was annoyed by him treating her like a villain and favouring Catherine over her, which Jane couldn’t blame her.  
  
The brunette teen attempted to strangle him again, but Catherine’s spell kept her in place.  
  
“Kelsey, calm down,” Jane ordered her in a motherly-warning tone.  
  
“It’s just water. You love water!”  
  
“Yes, but not at seven o’clock in the morning! It’s summer vacation! I need sleep!”  
  
Kelsey looked at the boy, ready to pounce.  
  
“It’s bad enough that I have to share a bed with a girl who snores!”  
  
Jane supressed to share a fact that her niece snores as well. She was also aware that Kelsey didn’t want to be here for the summer. The girl wanted to settle down in her swimming pool not walk in a desert, but as always, she didn’t have a choice.  
  
“I don’t need a wake-up call!”  
  
The boy pulled the trigger, squirting water at the girl’s face. She jumped up and nearly slipped on the tiled floor. Lucky for her, her big sister’s magic kept her from falling.  
  
Jane snatched the water gun from the boy, “Give me that!”  
  
She stomped towards a random cabinet door to stuff the gun inside, too high for the boy’s reach.  
  
“Hey, no fair!” he protested.  
  
“That’s mine!”  
  
“AJ, why are you dressed like that?” Jane gestured to the Iron Man costume, he’s wearing.  
  
The seven-year-old shrugged, not giving Jane an answer.  
  
Jane sighed heavily, “Okay, well, go to your suitcase and put on some real clothes. _Now_.”  
  
“What about my gun?” he asked, pointing at the cabinet where his gun was stored.  
  
Jane shook her head, “You’ll get it back by the end of the day.”  
  
“No fair!” AJ cried in protest.  
  
“Well, you should’ve thought of that, before you squirt your sister with it. Now, I want you to apologize to her, and then put on some real clothes. You are _not_ wearing that to school, it’s too hot outside.”  
  
“But Tony Stark wears the suit every day!”  
  
“True, but you’re not Iron Man,” Jane snapped her fingers at Kelsey’s direction, “now apologize to your sister.”  
  
AJ groaned, hating that he had to apologize for having fun. He looked at his sister, who stared back at him with a smug look on her face, waiting for an apology. Then he looked at his other sister, who give him a gentle nod and smile.  
  
“Sorry!” AJ said with no sincerity.  
  
He quickly ran out of the kitchen, going back to the RV to change clothes.  
  
“Thanks, Jane,” Kelsey muttered as she took a rag from the table to wipe the specks of water off her face.  
  
By now, Catherine had released her from her spell. She was relieved to know that no one had seen her using her magic.  
  
“Listen to me, Kelsey,” Jane began in a hushed warning tone, “you need to keep your temper in check.”  
  
Kelsey looked up at her aunt in shock, “But, Jane, you saw what that twerp did! He started it! I was asleep! Why are you taking his side?!”  
  
“I’m not taking anyone’s side. I already handled AJ. I don’t need you to come in here and threaten to kill him in front of Erik and your sister.”  
  
“I wasn’t going to kill him,” Kelsey reassured her.  
  
“I just want to give him a smack or something to teach that brat a lesson.”  
  
“Kelsey! You can’t say such a thing about our brother! He’s just a kid!” Catherine scolded her, standing up from her seat.  
  
“He started it, Catherine!” Kelsey said angrily at her.  
  
“He is seven, Kelsey! He doesn’t understand yet how much this annoys you!”  
  
Catherine stood now by Kelsey and a dominant aura sparked out of the blonde’s posture. Kelsey was not someone who would get scared of simple things, but seeing Catherine in such a dominant way, made her back off from her.  
  
“You don’t need to do that. Okay? I’m an adult. I can handle him just fine, thank you.”  
  
Jane huffed at the girl’s eye roll.  
  
“Just control yourself, please. You’re older and bigger than he is. You’re about to be an adult soon.”  
  
“I am an adult!” Kelsey corrected her, hating that Jane was using the same old ‘You’re bigger than he is’ line.  
  
No matter the size, everyone was capable of violence. The boy had nails and teeth to scar Kelsey’s skin for life.  
  
“You’re sixteen-years-old, Kelsey.”  
  
“About to be seventeen in five days!”  
  
Jane’s eyes widened briefly by that statement. Her birthday was in a few days? Judging by the look on their aunt’s face, Kelsey’s frown deepened and Catherine slapped her face. Jane was in trouble.  
  
“You forgot my birthday again, did ya?”  
  
“No!” Jane denied.  
  
She gazed at Garret and Erik by the kitchen sink; they both averted her eyes. Then she looked at Catherine with a pleading look, but the serious face of her eldest niece told her that she was this time on her own to fix it. She didn’t need them to know that she messed up big time.  
  
“No, I didn’t. I just… I was caught off guard. I lost track of time with my research, that’s all.”  
  
Kelsey scoffed a laugh, raising her hands in surrender, “This is just great! It’s bad enough that there is no pool around-“  
  
“Kelsey-“  
  
“But now, my own _aunt_ ,” the teen spat the latter word with hate, “has forgotten my birthday! Where are we going to celebrate this time? In an RV to drive another 700 miles to God knows where?! Worst summer ever!”  
  
For that, she turned to Catherine, ignoring her aunt’s pleas and apologies.  
  
“And you? Did you forget it as well?!” Kelsey demanded angrily.  
  
Catherine shook her in shock, “Of course not! I’ll never forget you or AJ’s birthday. I already have a present for you.”  
  
Taking a deep breath, Catherine decided to tell Kelsey what her gift for her was, in hopes that it could lift Kelsey’s spirit.  
  
“It was supposed to be a surprise, but with the permission of aunt Jane, I was planning to take you to New York to go shopping for clothes. We both need new outfits for school, and I wanted to end the day by having dinner in a restaurant. I saved all the money I have to go buy you some clothes, by your choice.”  
  
It seemed to have worked a little bit. Kelsey did smile and Catherine, but there was still anger in her eyes.  
  
“At least _someone_ remembered it!” she yelled towards Jane.  
  
She turned to Catherine and gave her a hug, “Thank you. This will make up for this horrible summer.”  
  
Catherine could almost cry. She didn’t see Kelsey a lot, and it meant a lot for her that Kelsey likes her gift.  
  
Before she decided to officially leave, Kelsey snatched a plate to stick one pancake on top.  
  
“Don’t you want utensils, Kelsey?” Erik offered.  
  
“I can use my hands, Dr. Selvig – thank you,” Kelsey bumped into an older brunette who was coming inside the glasshouse – Jane’s colleague intern.  
  
“Morning, sunshine,” Darcy greeted.  
  
“No, I’m not!” Kelsey bluntly stated.  
  
Darcy couldn’t blame; she was also a victim of AJ’s squirt gun.  
  
Garret approached the table with two cups of coffee in his hands.  
  
He noticed Darcy there, immediately narrowing his eyes at her, “Lewis.”  
  
“Brad,” Darcy spat at him.  
  
“It’s Brad-ley,” he corrected her.  
  
“Whoever!” Darcy snapped.  
  
“Be lucky that you have a name at all!”  
  
“Four-eyes!” Garret insulted her childishly.  
  
“Dork!” Darcy insulted him as well.  
  
“Really?!” Jane slapped her hands against her sides.  
  
The two young adults pointed the blame at each other, claiming that the other started it.  
  
“Darcy, my niece is upset-“  
  
“I know. I know,” Darcy raised her hands up.  
  
“Calm her down and tell her that she’s the most important person in the world.”  
  
“Bingo,” Jane gave her the thumbs up.  
  
“Jane,” Garret offered a mug in his hand.  
  
“I got some coffee for-“  
  
“Aww, for me?”  
  
His words cut off as Darcy grabbed both cups and smirked at him.  
  
“You shouldn’t have. Hey, Jane, I got us some coffee.”  
  
Garret widened his eyes at Darcy, he couldn’t believe what she just did.  
  
“That other cup is mine!” he cried out to Darcy.  
  
“Get your own!” Darcy snapped.  
  
“That is my own!” Garret pointed out, but it was too late.  
  
Darcy had already given Jane a cup and had taken a long sip from Garret’s.  
  
“Now that I have what I came here for, _I_ have a job to do. Excuse me.”  
  
Darcy passed Garret with a boastful look. Meanwhile, he was staring down at the intern with a clenched fist.  
  
“I hate her,” he growled.  
  
“Really? I didn’t notice,” Catherine smirked.  
  
Garret simply rolled his eyes at her.  
  
“Garret,” Jane gained back his attention, “would you mind walking my nephew to school?”  
  
He didn’t hesitate to follow orders. No doubt, he would snatch the child from the RV and carry him to school without fail.  
  
“Wait! Wait!” Before Garret could leave, he took his plate of stacked pancakes with him, “I’ll bring the plate back, Jane. I promise.”  
  
Jane waved it off carelessly, “It’s fine.”  
  
“Great!”  
  
For that, he dashed out the door to do his task. The astrophysicists and the seventeen-year-old girl had some peace in for the time being.  
  
“Well,” Erik set the mug down and asked his former student, “you ready to get to work?”  
  
Jane sighed heavily, she didn’t know the answer to that. She looked around and knew it was a mess, and the RV was in no better state.  
  
“I’ll clean everything up,” Catherine reassured her.  
  
Jane smiled and placed a gentle kiss on Catherine’s forehead, “How did I deserve you?”  
  
“Just returning the favour. You’ve taken care of me so well. It’s the least I could.”  
  
Jane smiled with tears in her eyes, “You know that you’re like a daughter to me.”  
  
With that, Jane went to work with Erik, while Catherine cleaned everything up as she had said.  
  
Little did they know that they weren’t the only ones who were stressed out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In the Asgardian kingdom was a special day. It was time for the All-Father Odin to step out of his duties as king and leave one of his sons to take the throne.  
  
The double doors opened, revealing a blonde prince dressed in silver armour and a red cape, known as grown-up Thor. He walked down the steps, chugging down the rest of his drink with one hand while holding the worthy hammer – Mjolnir – with the other.  
  
“Another!” the prince roared as he smashed his goblet into the centred fire pit that erupted in flames.  
  
Thor thought he was alone in the dimly room, but he was wrong. He spotted his younger brother behind the drapes. Loki was dressed in gold and green, a golden-horned helmet placed on his inked head.  
  
Loki came out of the shadows, seeing the God of Thunder walking towards him. He stood by Thor’s side, his hands folded in a professional manner. The corner of his mouth curled into a smirk as he glanced at Thor.  
  
“Nervous, brother?” Loki asked in a teasing tone.  
  
Thor laughed, clearly amused by Loki’s question.  
  
He glanced back at his brother and asked, “Have you ever known me to be nervous?”  
  
Loki furrowed his brows, looking back on his memories, “Mm, there was that time in Nornheim.”  
  
“That was not nerves, brother!” Thor argued.  
  
“That was the rage of battle.”  
  
“Ah, I see,” his brother breathed.  
  
“How else could I have fought my way through a hundred warriors and brought us out alive?” Thor said proudly.  
  
“Uh…” Loki opened his mouth to disagree, “as I recall, I was the one who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape.”  
  
“Haha, yes,” Thor chuckled as one of the servers arrived with another goblet of wine for Thor.  
  
“Some do battle, others just do tricks.”  
  
Loki shrugged. When he heard the sound of another person laughing at him, he turned his gaze upon the server. He flicked his wrist, and there was a sudden, collected sound of hisses. The server was confused at first, but then he saw snakes slithering their way out of the goblet. The server yelped in fear, dropping the tray and cup as the snakes continued sliding away from the goblet.  
  
Loki laughed softly, satisfied by the startling sight.  
  
“Loki…” Thor whined irritably, “now that was just a waste of good wine.”  
  
He looked at the solidified reptiles in disappointment.  
  
“Oh, it was just a bit of fun,” Loki said with innocence.  
  
He waved his hand over the dropped dishes, making the snakes disappear.  
  
“Right, my friend?” Loki asked the server.  
  
The server nodded, laughing nervously as he picked up the tray and goblet, leaving the princes alone. They both chuckle at his reaction, though Loki’s laugh lasted longer, clearly proud of himself.  
  
A moment later, another servant arrived, handing Thor his helmet. It was silver with wings on both sides. Thor gazed upon his helmet, his grip began to shake with unease. Thor tried to control it without notice.  
  
“Ooh… nice feathers,” Loki complimented.  
  
Thor’s nerves disappeared. He turned to his brother with a smile, picking up his brother’s sarcasm.  
  
“You don’t want to get me started, do you?” Thor gazed upon the horns from Loki’s helmet.  
  
“Cow?”  
  
“I was being sincere,” Loki assured him.  
  
Thor scoffed, “You are incapable of sincerity.”  
  
“Am I?” Loki asked challengingly.  
  
“Yes!”  
  
Loki stood in silence, smiling softly, before he spoke, “I’ve looked forward to this day as long as you have. You are my brother and my friend.”  
  
Thor’s face softened, listening to his brother intently.  
  
“Sometimes, I am envious,” Loki admitted, giving Thor eye contact, “but never doubt that I love you.”  
  
Thor nodded, pleasantly surprised and pleased by Loki’s words. He thought that Loki was about to say something sarcastic. Though, there where moments when Loki knew what to say to ease his brother’s feelings without calling him out on it. For that, Thor awarded his brother with an appreciative pat on the shoulder.  
  
“Thank you, Brother.”  
  
“Now give us a kiss,” Loki said, earning a smack in the chest from Thor.  
  
His brother laughed with him, pointing a finger at his face, “Stop it!”  
  
They both turned to face the stairs once more, chuckling amongst themselves. The tender moment died down, silence evaded the room once again, until Thor spoke again, casting all jokes aside to ask Loki one simple question.  
  
“Really, how do I look?”  
  
Loki analysed Thor up and down, taking in the details before him, most of which were obvious. Thor looked exactly like their father, something that Loki could never achieve, and he never understood why.  
  
Thor turned to him, silently demanding a reply.  
  
“Like a king,” Loki stated quietly, earning a satisfied smile in return.  
  
Their eyes were back on the stairs. However, as the silence returned to the hallway, it was Loki’s turn to break it.  
  
“It’s time,” Loki spoke the obvious, knowing they both needed to get going.  
  
“You go ahead,” Thor told him.  
  
Loki faced him questionably.  
  
“I’ll be along, go on,” Thor insisted.  
  
Loki offered one last smile to his older brother. He mutely bid him ‘good fortune’ as he departed the room. Thor stood there, mentally preparing himself for what was about to come. He was about to become King Thor of Asgard. What could possibly go wrong?


	3. Chapter 2: Broken Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone!

In the throne room, the entire kingdom of Asgard was waiting for their future king to arrive. Odin was sitting on his throne with his staff in one hand. Down the steps to the throne, to his right: his queen, his younger son, and the Goddess of War named Sif. To his left: there stood the Warriors Three – Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg.   
  
After moments of waiting, the double doors opened. Thor entered the throne room, wearing his winged helmet and wielding his hammer. He took a deep breath, scanning through his audience. They were watching his every move. Thor didn’t want to show fear in front of his people, so he attempted to hide those nerves and replaced them with a confident, almost cocky attitude. He raised his hammer, cueing the crowd to cheer for him. Thor walked down the aisle, smiling and cheering with the group. Feeling the need to show off, Thor flipped his hammer and caught it with ease.   
  
His action caused his female friend, Sif, to roll her eyes.  
  
“Oh, please,” she mumbled.   
  
Thor stopped in front of the steps to the throne and kneeled before his father and king. He winked at his mother, Frigga, who widened her eyes, not sure what to think about that gesture. Then, Thor turned to the other side, offering the Warrior Three a small smile. His warrior friends returned the grin and thumbs up.   
  
Odin stood from the throne and banged his staff, silencing the crowd.   
  
His glistening eyes rested upon his eldest son, beginning his speech, “Thor… Odinson… My heir. My firstborn. So long and trusted with the mighty hammer, Mjolnir. Forged in the heart of a dying star. Its power has no equal. As a weapon to destroy, or as a tool to build. It’s a fit companion for a king. I defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the nine realms…”   
  
  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, below the golden castle, a pair of guards were performing their daily duty inside the Weapons Vault. They walked down the long hallway towards the Casket of Winters. What they didn’t realize was that something was lurking behind one of the weapon artifacts; its powers slowly frost the pillar without notice. 

  
  
  
  
“Do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?” Odin asked.   
  
“I swear,” Thor answered.  
  
“Do you swear to preserve the peace?”   
  
“I swear,” Thor repeated, raising his voice.  
  
“Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and pledge yourself only to the good of all the Realms?”   
  
“I swear!” Thor cried proudly, lifting his hammer.  
  
“Then, on this day, I, Odin All-Father, proclaim you…” Odin paused.   
  
Thor and everyone in the room tensed, expecting him to finish. Instead, Odin looked to the sky, sensing something wrong in the Weapons Vault.   
  
“Frost Giants…” the king whispered.   
  
Everyone in the hall whispered amongst themselves except for the royal party. All weren’t sure if they had heard him correctly. Odin banged his staff on the floor, activating a trap for the intruders.   
  
  
  
  
  
Three Frost Giants attacked the two guards in the now frosted Weapons Vault. They all stood in front of the weapon, coming to take the Casket of Winters.   
  
However, Odin summoned a secret weapon of his own. The gate in the Weapon’s Vault that kept the metal beast inside disappeared magically. One giant that was holding the Casket of Winters in his hand turned around after hearing footsteps clanging on the tiled floor. Before the intruder could activate the casket, the Destroyer fired an energy blast, getting rid of every monster in the Vault.   
  
  
  
  
  
Odin and his two sons entered the scene to find the hall coated with ice and dead bodies on the ground. Thor and Loki followed Odin to the end of the hallway, where the Casket of Winters was safely placed back on the pedestal. Odin stared at the casket intently.   
  
“The Jotuns must pay for what they’ve done!” Thor stated.   
  
“They have paid,” Odin said, without taking his eyes off the casket, “with their lives. The Destroyer did its work. The casket is safe; all is well.”   
  
“All is well?” Thor questioned his father’s statement.   
  
“They broke into the weapon’s vault! If the Frost Giants had stolen one of these relics-“   
  
“But they didn’t,” Odin interrupted.   
  
“Well, I want to know why!” Thor demanded.  
  
“I have truce with Laufey, King of Jotuns,” Odin explained.   
  
“He just broke your truce!” Thor cried.   
  
“They know you are vulnerable!”   
  
Odin finally took his eyes off the casket and turned his attention to his eldest son.   
  
“What action would you take?” he asked Thor curiously.  
  
“March into Jotunheim as you once did!” Thor answered without haste.  
  
“Teach them a lesson! Break their spirits, so they’ll never dare cross our borders again!”  
  
“You’re thinking only as a warrior.”  
  
“This was an act of war!” Thor argued.  
  
“It was an act of but a few, doomed to fail.”   
  
“Look how far they got!” Thor yelled, gesturing to the icy vault.   
  
Loki was standing, watching his father and brother argue. Their conversation was heating up, so Loki knew it wouldn’t be wise to step in. It wasn’t his fight.  
  
“We will find the breach in our defences, and it will be sealed,” Odin said.  
  
“As King of Asgard-“ Thor began.   
  
“But you’re _not king_!” Odin stated angrily.  
  
Thor was taken back by his statement, merely blinking in disbelief.   
  
“Not yet,” Odin added gently, walking past his two sons.   
  
  
  
  
  
Still infuriated by the Frost Giants ruining his day, Thor expressed his rage by flipping the dining room table over. Thor sat down on the steps, taking deep, calming breaths. His younger brother emerged from the pillar, walking down the steps closer to Thor. The thunder prince noticed his presence but continued seething.  
  
“It is unwise to be in my company, brother,” Thor warned.   
  
Loki ignored him by proceeding to sit next to him.   
  
“This-This was supposed to be my day of triumph.”   
  
“It will come,” Loki assured him softly, “in time.”   
  
Sif and the Warriors Three entered the room. The goddess was the first to notice the table had been flipped over.  
  
She glared at Thor in question, “Redecorating, are we?”  
  
“What’s this?!” Volstagg too noticed the table flipped along with the ruined pastries now on the ground.   
  
“I told you, they cancelled it,” Hogun told his warrior, Fandral.  
  
“We thought you were just your normal cheery-self,” Fandral told Thor.  
  
Volstagg continued staring at the spilled goblets in agony, “All this food… I-It just comes to the ground… It breaks the heart.”  
  
Loki ignored them and continued talking to his soon-to-be king in a hushed tone, “If it’s any consolation, I think you’re right about the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything. If they found a way to penetrate Asgard’s defences once, who’s to say they won’t try again? Next time with an army.”   
  
“Exactly!” Thor was thankful that somebody here agreed with him.   
  
“Unfortunately, brother, there is nothing you could do without defying Father,” Loki added.   
  
Thor glared at him. Loki’s face fell, seeing the wheels in his brother’s brain beginning to turn, his eyes igniting bright like a fire lighting a torch. He instantly knew what Thor was thinking, and it wasn’t good.   
  
“No,” Loki scolded, shaking his head and wagging his finger at Thor who stood from his seat.   
  
“No. No. No. No. I know that look! Stop right there!”  
  
“It’s the only way to ensure the safety of our borders!” Thor declared.   
  
“Thor, it’s madness!”   
  
Volstagg was about to cut up a loaf of bread, but was intrigued by the brothers’ conversation, “Madness? What sort of madness?”  
  
Loki turned his head towards Volstagg, masking his nerves with an assuring smile, “Eh – Oh, it’s nothing. Thor was just making a jest.”   
  
“The safety of our realm is no jest,” Thor uttered, before facing his friends with determination.  
  
“We’re going to Jotunheim.”   
  
His brother sighed, burying his face in one hand. Thor’s speechless friends were looking at him as if he was insane, which he was.  
  
“What?” Fandral spoke up, laughing in disbelief.   
  
“Thor, out all the laws in Asgard,” Sif said firmly, “this is the one you must not break.”  
  
“This isn’t like a journey to Earth,” Fandral reminded Thor, “where you summon a little lightning and thunder, and the mortals worship you as a god… This is Jotunheim.”   
  
“If the Frost Giants don’t kill you,” Volstagg said as he cut up a piece of fruit, “your father will.”   
  
“My father fought his way into Jotunheim,” Thor pointed out, “defeated their armies and took their casket. We will be just looking for answers.”  
  
“It is forbidden!” Sif cried out, trying to talk some sense into Thor.   
  
Thor chuckled as he approached them, “My friends, have you forgotten all we have done together?”  
  
He pointed at Fandral, placing a hand on his shoulder while asking him a question, “Who brought you into a sweet embrace with exotic maidens of all in Yggdrasill?”   
  
Fandral smiled at that memory, “You helped a little.”  
  
Thor laughed heartedly and turned to his Asian friend, Hogun, “Who led you into the most glorious battles?”   
  
“You did,” Hogun answered with a half-smile.  
  
“And the delicacies so succulent, you thought you died and gone to Valhalla?” Thor reminded Volstagg.  
  
“My life flashed before my very eyes, all thanks to you,” Volstagg replied.  
  
“Yes!”   
  
Thor turned around to Sif, “And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known?”  
  
“I did,” Sif answered proudly.  
  
“True,” Thor paused before he pointed out, “but I supported you.”  
  
He walked past her, climbing up the steps and standing proudly behind his brother, “My friends, trust me now! We must do this! You’re not going to let my brother-“ Loki perked at the mention of him, “and I take all the glory, are you?”   
  
“What?” Loki asked in a whisper.   
  
Thor looked down at his brother with a glint of hope in his eyes, “But you are coming with me, aren’t you, Brother?”   
  
Of all his friends in Asgard, Thor desired his brother to be his number one ally for this conquest. The blonde prince got his wish when Loki turned around with an assuring grin on his face. Loki was on Thor’s side.   
  
“Yes, of course,” Loki promised.   
  
He stood up and patted his brother’s back, “I will not let my brother march into Jotunheim alone.”  
  
“And I!”   
  
Everyone looked at Volstagg, whose mouth was stuffed with bread.   
  
A moment of silence later, Fandral nodded, “And I.”  
  
Thor and Loki smiled with approval.  
  
“And I,” Hogun joined in.   
  
“The Warriors Three fight together.”   
  
Now there was only one person who hadn’t joined their quest. Everyone looked at Sif, waiting for her answer.  
  
Sif sighed, “I fear we live to regret this.”  
  
She brought her arm across her chest and bowed her head to Thor before she and the Warriors Three exited the dining room.  
  
“If were lucky,” Thor laughed merrily as he and his brother left to prep for the mission.  
  
  
  
  
  
Thor, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three rode their horses across the multi-colour bridge, heading straight for the Bi-Frost. At the end of the rainbow stood Asgard’s golden eyed gatekeeper – Heimdall – with the power to see and hear everything. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he knew what Thor and his friends were up to. Though, it wouldn’t hurt to ask nicely.   
  
The warriors dismounted their horses and approached Heimdall, who was waiting for them patiently, resting his hands on his key blade.  
  
Loki sped ahead of the group with a prideful smirk on his face, “Leave this to me.”   
  
The trickster was ready to use his power of deceit on Heimdall, greeting the gatekeeper with a friendly smile, “Good-“   
  
“You’re not dressed warmly enough,” Heimdall cut him off.  
  
Loki’s face fell in confusion, “I’m sorry?”  
  
“You think you can deceive me?”  
  
Loki chuckled, “You must be mistaken, we-“  
  
“Enough!” Thor commanded Loki, who clenched his jaw, obeying his soon-to-be-king.  
  
It was Thor’s turn to persuade the gatekeeper.   
  
“Heimdall, may we pass?”   
  
“Never has an enemy slipped my watch, until this day…” Heimdall paused before he continued quietly more to himself than Thor, “I wished to know how that happened.”   
  
“Then tell no one where we have gone, until we return,” Thor commanded.  
  
“Understand?”   
  
He walked past Heimdall, the rest of the group did the same, except Loki, who stood there, wondering why he couldn’t fool the gatekeeper.   
  
Volstagg laughed at Loki’s defeated face, “What happened, Loki? Silver Tongue turn to lead?”  
  
Volstagg continued laughing as they walked inside the starry-view observatory.   
  
“Be warn,” Heimdall addressed the group.   
  
“It is my sworn oath to protect this realm as a gatekeeper. If your return should threaten the safety of Asgard, the Bi-Frost shall remain close, and you will be left to die in the cold waste of Jotunheim.”   
  
“Couldn’t you just leave the bridge open for us?” Volstagg asked, not wanting to die in the cold.  
  
“Leaving the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bi-Frost, destroying the realm of Jotunheim and you upon it.”  
  
Thor was smiling pridefully, “I have no plans to die today!”   
  
Heimdall inserted his sword, activating the Bi-Frost’s power to suck the travellers outside towards the coldest of all the nine realms – Jotunheim.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everything was quiet in the lab with the exception of the TV and the typing keyboard. Jane and Erik were working, while Darcy and Garret were supervising the worktable. AJ returned from summer school to finish homework. Catherine was done with her chores and was reading a book. Kelsey was outside on the phone but struggled with communication because of the phone service here. Obvious to everyone, Kelsey was calling for an escape route back home.   
  
Suddenly, an unexpected beeping noise echoed through the room. The team paused what they’re doing and listened to the noise intently, trying to figure out where it’s coming from.   
  
“Um… Is someone cooking something in the microwave?” Garret asked, pointing at the kitchen with his number two pencil.   
  
Nobody replied. They just stayed silent, listening to the noise that kept on beeping anonymously.   
  
“Where is it coming from?” both Catherine and Jane asked.  
  
Jane searched the table. She couldn’t see it, but she knew that the beeping was louder around the worktable than anywhere else. AJ joined the others to find out where the beeping noise was coming from.   
  
“Found it,” Darcy lifted a folder to find a hand-made special gear laying underneath.   
  
She set the paper aside to analyse the racket. Everyone turned to Darcy and stared at the device she’s holding. Jane snatched it from her to get a better look. Darcy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
“You’re welcome,” she grumbled.  
  
“What’s it doing, Jane?” AJ asked, standing on his tippy-toes, trying to get a view of the device too.  
  
“Oh my gosh,” Jane whispered as she looked at the device’s readings.  
  
“It’s happening again.”   
  
Kelsey entered the lab just in time to cover her ears, “Hey! Whose phone is ringing? Does it have good reception?”   
  
AJ shushed the girl, who shushed back. He stuck his tongue at her, cueing Kelsey to raise her hand to hit him. Catherine grabbed her arm before she could make a move.   
  
“Stop it, both of you!” Catherine commanded, refusing to see her younger siblings in another fight.  
  
For once the children obeyed their elder sister, mumbling out their apologies to her, not each other. Erik breathed out with relief, smiling proudly at Catherine, before turning his attention back to the device.  
  
“Erik, this is happening again!” Jane repeated louder and happier.   
  
Garret was staring at Jane in awe, happy to see her smile. It was her best feature in Garret’s opinion, and her enthusiasm was one of the things he liked about her.  
  
“You don’t know that, Jane,” Erik warned, refusing to become optimistic.  
  
“Dr. Selvig is right,” Kelsey agreed.  
  
Jane gave Kelsey a warning glare, silently telling her to keep her opinions to herself. Kelsey raised her hands defensively.  
  
“I’m just saying! The last time that thing was beeping…” she pointed at the device in Jane’s hand, “nothing happened. Nothing. There’s nothing in the dark sky except big balls of hot gas and a moon! You might as well give up,” she whispered the last part.  
  
“Enough, Kelsey!” Jane snapped at her niece in anger, obviously having heard the last thing Kelsey said.   
  
AJ backed away and joined Erik to keep a safe distance from his ticked off aunt. He would’ve hid behind Catherine, if she wasn’t standing so close by Jane.  
  
“How can you say that?!” both Catherine and Garret asked Kelsey, hating to see Jane upset.   
  
Catherine might be on the same line with Kelsey, that Jane shouldn’t bring her hopes up that quickly, but she couldn’t stand it when Kelsey said that Jane should give up. This was not only Jane’s dream, but Catherine grandfather’s as well.  
  
Kelsey scoffed at the neighbour and her sister, “How can Jane chase after something that just isn’t there?! I was right about the last time that thing beeped! Am I wrong?!”  
  
Everyone didn’t answer Kelsey’s question right away, although one hesitating second proved her point.   
  
“How do we know that it’s not malfunctioning just like Dr. Selvig said?”   
  
“She’s gotta point,” Darcy said, joining Kelsey’s side.   
  
Kelsey smiled at her RV mate, “Thank you, Darcy.”   
  
“Finally, I got a thank you here,” Darcy mumbled, smirking at Garret, who rolled his eyes at her.   
  
“Are you blind?!” Jane asked Kelsey.  
  
“Look at this!”   
  
She lifted the device, showing the readings to Kelsey, “This is proof that something’s out there! There’s more than just stars in the sky!”  
  
“She’s gotta point, Kelsey,” Garret joined Jane’s side as expected.  
  
“Thank you, Garret,” Jane thanked him.   
  
Garret nodded. He was calm on the outside, but on the inside, he’s jumping out of joy. He’s glad that he’d said something right for Jane. Now it was his turn to smirk at Darcy, who rolled her eyes at him.   
  
“And-And we need to go now and find out what it is!” Jane continued, debating her dream-crashing niece.   
  
“And as for the last couple of times, I did find something!”   
  
Kelsey nodded, “Ah yes, a subtle aurora. Jane, we both know that auroras don’t appear in New Mexico! They appear in cold climates like Greenland, Antarctica, um… Siberia, and…”  
  
“Alaska,” Darcy added.  
  
“Thank you,” Kelsey thanked her friend again.   
  
“You’re welcome,” Darcy smiled as she took a long sip of her coffee.  
  
“Wow! Two thank yous in a row. I’m on a roll.”  
  
“And if you did see it, how come you didn’t have a picture of it?” Kelsey challenged her aunt.  
  
Jane sighed, running her finger through her brown hair, “I… It disappeared before I could take one.”  
  
Kelsey opened her arms and slapped her sides, dropping the invisible mic on the ground, “My point exactly.”   
  
Catherine sighed as she stepped in between her two family members, hoping she could prevent them from getting into a huge fight.   
  
“Look, Kelsey, I know that you don’t want to be here, and you want to be right all the time-“   
  
“That’s because I am right.”   
  
It took all of Jane’s might not to scream or hit her niece. Kelsey almost sounded like her mother whenever the sisters argued.  
  
“But just because you’re miserable doesn’t mean you have the right to make everyone’s time here miserable. AJ is suffering already with summer school,” Catherine reminded her.  
  
“Not my fault, I’m dyslexic,” AJ grumbled, earning a sympathetic pat on the back from Erik.   
  
“Now I don’t want to hear another word from you, Kelsey,” Jane grabbed her coat, ignoring the teen’s defiant eye roll and folded arms.  
  
Before Jane could step towards the van, Erik took the hand device from her.   
  
“Before we go out there,” Erik began, “we need to make sure that it’s not just malfunctioning. It might be the reason why you’re not finding anything.”  
  
He started shaking the device back and forth, but it continued beeping.   
  
“Try hitting it against the table,” Garret suggested.  
  
Erik debated whether to test the hypothesis or not before he made the decision by banging the device against the worktable hard.  
  
Jane’s jaw dropped, horrified at what Erik was doing to her device.  
  
“Give me that!” Jane snatched it from Erik, inspecting any signs of damage.  
  
Fortunately, Erik hit it without consequence.   
  
“Don’t do that! I jammed my hand making this!”  
  
“And your jammed hands are still lovely,” Garret complimented her.   
  
His cheeks were heating up by a bunch of eyes staring straight at him.  
  
“Kiss-ass!” Darcy coughed the words.   
  
Garret glared at her with narrowed eyes as she continued to fake the tickle in her throat.   
  
“We need to go now!” Jane said to everybody, putting on her coat.   
  
“Before it’s too late!”   
  
AJ jogged after Jane and asked, “Really? We’re all going?”  
  
Jane looked down at her nephew and smiled, grasping his hand as they walked towards the van, “Of course, we’re all going.”   
  
“What?!”  
  
The aunt and nephew halted and turned to the owner of the voice – Jane’s niece.  
  
Kelsey was shocked by her aunt’s announcement, “You mean… You, and Erik, and Darcy, and AJ, and Catherine are going?”  
  
“What about me?” Garret asked but his question was ignored.   
  
Jane released her nephew’s hand and approached her niece, returning the same look Kelsey had been giving her, “When I say that we’re all going, I mean that we’re _all_ going.”   
  
Garret pumped a fist, cheering quietly to himself, “Yes.”  
  
“And why do I have to go?” Kelsey asked.   
  
“Why can’t you just leave me home alone like last time? Catherine can stay if you want to be extra sure.”  
  
Catherine was touched that her sister wanted her to stay with her, but she knew that Kelsey only said that because Jane trusted Catherine more.   
  
“Because the lab almost burned down, last time.”   
  
“Hey, how was I supposed to know that Garret was making cookies and forgot to set a timer?!”   
  
Garret smiled sheepishly, blushing with embarrassment by his past action, “Sorry again, Jane.”   
  
“Look, just let me stay here,” Kelsey begged.  
  
“I’ll be useless to you out there. If you do, I may not mention the fire incident to-“   
  
“Don’t do that,” Jane stabbed a finger in her niece’s way.   
  
“Don’t even think about threatening to tattle. The last thing I need is another narcissistic and horrible person like your father.”   
  
Catherine flinched at the mention of her father. The man himself always viewed her like a monster. But he himself was even capable of forbidding all contact she would’ve had with her mother and siblings. In Catherine’s eyes, he was the real monster of the family. She was glad that her mother did not give up on her.  
  
Something in Kelsey’s eyes darkened with rage. Jane closed her eyes briefly, immediately regretting her choice of words. She opened her mouth to apologize but Kelsey cut her off by saying the words, she shouldn’t have said next.  
  
“And you’ll never be like Pawpa.”   
  
Jane’s jaw clenched at that hateful comment. Erik told the girls that this was enough, they were crossing a line. AJ shouldn’t be hearing this.  
  
“Jane, I’m sorry-“ Kelsey stopped talking as her aunt pointed at her big sister.  
  
“Never forget what _your_ father did to your own sister. He is the reason that you and Catherine didn’t grow up together. If it were him, he would’ve killed her when she was just a baby!” Jane spat.  
  
Her aunt pointed her finger towards the van.  
  
“Get inside,” Jane hissed.  
  
“We are going, and that is final.”  
  
Kelsey let out a groan in frustration, cursing under her breath as she hopped in the backseat of the van. Darcy and Erik couldn’t help but jump at the harsh slam from the sliding door. All agreed that this trip won’t be pleasant. AJ tattled, pointing his finger at Kelsey’s way.  
  
“Jane, Kelsey said the f word.”   
  
“Thank you, AJ, but you said the s word earlier during homework,” Jane clarified.  
  
“Which reminds me, make sure you bring it with you.”   
  
That cued the boy to groan in agony. Garret opened the passenger door for Jane, thanking the woman for the invite.   
  
“Are your parents going to be okay with this?” she asked.  
  
“I don’t want to-“  
  
Garret scoffed, “Please. My parents would be happy to let me go. With me out of the house, the could have another date night tonight.”  
  
“Well, just call your parents first,” Jane commanded, stepping inside the van.  
  
“Let them know where you are; the reception out there can be a little spotty.”  
  
“Worse than here?” Darcy grumbled under her breath.  
  
“Why am I not surprised.”

“Got it, chief,” Garret saluted with one hand, shutting the door for the lady.  
  
He and Darcy made eye contact, slackening the smile Garret once had. Her brief contact at the van was enough for them to run and fight over the driver’s side. Unfortunately for the intern, Garret proved to be much faster with his basketball background. Darcy banged the door in frustration. She thought that sitting at the driver’s seat for hours with nothing to do was terrible, now that Garret was joining the ride, her night was going to get worse.  
  
“This… is going to be… one hell of a road trip,” she grumbled.   
  
Kelsey was sitting next to her with foggy shades over her eyes. Even when she’s wearing earphones, the music was off. Darcy’s words were loud and clear for the girl to agree with her.  
  
“Yep,” she whispered.  
  
Catherine walked over to the van and stood still by the passenger seat, tapping at the window to gain Jane’s attention.  
  
“You okay?” she asked softly.  
  
Jane nodded, “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’m sorry we brought back the subject of _him_. I know how uncomfortable those talks make you feel.”  
  
Catherine shook it off, “It’s okay. He doesn’t care for me and I don’t have to care for him. But… thank you, for having my back.”   
  
With a proudly smile, Jane gave Catherine a soft kiss on the head, before Catherine went inside the van to join the others.   
  
What they hadn’t notice was that when Jane and Kelsey were arguing, Catherine almost lost control of her magic, because of all the emotions she was feeling.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down. This was one heck of a night already.


	4. Chapter 3: A Storm Is Coming

The Bi-Frost sent the brave warriors to the realm of Jotunheim. Their surroundings were nothing like Asgard, the complete opposite. Instead of feeling the heated sun on their faces and hearing the people, Jotunheim contained blistering winds and rocky snow-covered mountains. There were no traces of footprints or growls to know whether or not the giants had become extinct – that the Destroyer had finished the last of its kind once and for all. Though as far as the Asgardians were concerned, they’re probably lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike where the demi-gods stand.  
  
“We shouldn’t be here,” Hogun broke the silence.  
  
“Let’s move,” Thor the leader ordered.   
  
He and his team followed the icy bridge.   
  
As they were walking, a large chunk of rock fell from the mountain and crumbled on the ground. The team mentally prepared themselves for the Frost Giants to attack, but they couldn’t find one anywhere. They eventually made it to the rocky palace of Jotunheim, still no sign of these monsters and their king.  
  
“Where are they?” Sif questioned.   
  
“Hiding,” Thor replied in disgust, “as cowards always do.”  
  
When they were too close to the palace, they came to a halt and waited. Some were more anxious than others. Finally, they heard a presence echoing in the shadows.  
  
“You’ve come a long way to die, Asgardians.”   
  
“I am Thor Odinson!” Thor introduced himself.  
  
“We know who you are.”   
  
“How did your _people_ get into our realm?” the prince demanded, spitting the frosted kind with such hatred.   
  
There was a long minute of silence before the voice replied, “The House of Odin is full of traitors.”   
  
“Do _not_ dishonour my father’s name with your _lies_!” Thor lifted his hammer, preparing to hit the owner of the voice with it.  
  
The owner of the voice appeared in a towering stance over the Asgardians. Ten feet tall with the frozen barrier for his advantage, his skin matched the murky, crystal walls. His eyes blinked bloody red eyes. The only thing that cast him different than the others was not by physicality but his title. He was Laufey, King of Jotunheim.  
  
“Your father is a murderer and a _thief_!” Laufey yelled at Thor.  
  
“And why have you come here? To make peace?!” he asked, mockingly.  
  
He knew why the Asgardians were here, mostly Thor. This prince believed himself to be brave, but in truth, the God of Thunder was foolish to cross the enemy’s line. No matter. Laufey was going to teach Odin’s son a lesson – whether it was the easy way or the hard way. He didn’t mind the latter if the boy persists.   
  
Laufey continued, “You long for battle. You crave it! You’re nothing but a boy trying to prove himself a man.”   
  
His army stepped out of hiding, surrounding the Asgardians. One. Two. A dozen. Many more either came from the mountains or the palace walls. Their arms morphed into blades.  
  
“This boy has grown tired of your mockery,” Thor seethed.   
  
Thor’s followers looked around, feeling the shiver creeping up to their spines and into their minds. All with the same message, telling the five to get out. Six, puny demi-gods against a Goliath army wasn’t a fair game; it was suicide. With that in mind, Loki approached his brother to be the voice of reason.   
  
“Thor, stop and think,” Loki hissed in his ear.  
  
“Look around you. We’re outnumbered.”   
  
“Know your place, Brother,” Thor snapped.   
  
“You know not what your actions would unleash,” Laufey warned.   
  
“I do. Go now, while I still allow it.”   
  
One of his guards approached the princes with an angry look in his eyes. Laufey’s giant army continued still, growling while aiming their blades directly at the might six, waiting for the official order from their king to attack.  
  
“We will except…” Loki respectfully bowed his head to Laufey, “your most gracious offer.”   
  
Thor glared at his cowardly brother, he couldn’t believe that he was backing down now.   
  
“Come on, brother,” Loki tugged Thor’s arm, begging him to follow.   
  
Thor and Laufey continued to stare down at each other challengingly. As much as he desired battle, Thor reluctantly turned from Laufey to leave.  
  
“Run back home, little _princess_ ,” the guard taunted.   
  
Thor halted his tracks.  
  
“Damn,” Loki cursed quietly.  
  
He knew that they wouldn’t be able to leave in peace.   
  
Thor smirked, then swung his hammer at the guard whose body smashed into the rocky wall.   
  
“Next?” Thor asked before he swung his hammer again, hitting another attacker.   
  
Eventually, all the Frost Giants and the six Asgardians battled, only this time it wasn’t for the casket but for their lives.  
  
“Please make it a challenge for me!” Thor begged, kicking another defeated Frost Giant on the side.   
  
More Frost Giants appeared on cue.   
  
Thor was face-to-face with one, who roared. The prince imitated his call as he swung his hammer at him. The Frost Giant grabbed his arm that was holding the hammer before he slammed his rocky head against Thor’s.  
  
Instead of crying in pain, Thor laughed, silently asking, “Is that the best you could do?”   
  
The Frost Giant punched him in the stomach; Thor flew and rolled backwards.  
  
“That’s more like it,” Thor smiled at Laufey with satisfaction.  
  
He threw his hammer, hitting the Frost Giant’s face. Thor reached his arm forward, making the hammer pause at mid-throw, before flying back to the owner’s hand.   
  
Sif was struggling to fight one giant, who knocked her down on the icy ground. Luckily for her, Hogun was there as her back up and threw his knife at the giant.   
  
Loki turned to see a Frost Giant running after him. He slowly backed up but stopped when he realized that he was standing on the edge of the cliff. One more step and he would’ve fallen to his death. However, there’s this giant ready to pounce at him. He could die either way. The Frost Giant jumped towards Loki, but he somehow went through Loki’s body, falling to _his_ death instead. Being the God of Mischief, the real Loki was hiding behind the large rocks, but only used a projection of himself to fool the Frost Giant. He waved his hand, making the copy of himself disappear before returning to battle.  
  
Sif ran her sword through a Frost Giant’s body.   
  
Volstagg was fighting a monster, only to have his arm trapped in its grip, receiving frostbite. Volstagg cried out in pain as he bumped his head against the giant’s, pushing it away from him. Volstagg briefly analysed the scorching mark on his forearm. His eyes tearing up from the smoke and the pain.  
  
“Don’t let them touch you!” Volstagg warned his friends.  
  
One of the Frost Giants grabbed Loki’s wrist, destroying his armour and contacting his bare skin. Instead of receiving the bite like Volstagg, his pale skin turned blue.   
  
Loki widened his eyes at the change in disbelief. He and the giant looked at each other, silently exchanging the same confusion before Loki swiftly killed his opponent with his dagger. He turned his attention back to his blue arm, which slowly faded back to normal.   
  
Meanwhile, Fandral was having the time of his life. He was laughing while fighting with his opponents with his sword. Annoyed by him, the giant knocked Fandral’s sword off his grip, morphing its arm into an icy blade. Fandral quickly slid under the monster, retrieving his sword. He turned around to chop the giant’s blade, then slew the monster instantly by a stab in the chest. Fandral turned back around and cried out in pain when an icicle pierced through his body.   
  
Loki, Sif, Hogun, and Volstagg turned their attention to Fandral’s cry. The four of them knew that they must return to Asgard now, and take Fandral to the healing room before it’s too late. Loki threw a knife at a giant that was after Fandral before. Volstagg and Hogun helped Fandral out of the icicle, carrying him over Volstagg’s shoulder.   
  
“Thor!” Sif called for him.   
  
Thor wasn’t listening to her, instead, he kept on fighting more giants, laughing as Fandral once did.  
  
“We must go!” Loki shouted.  
  
“Then go!” Thor replied, hitting another giant with his hammer.   
  
Then, he threw Mjolnir, taking down a bunch of giants in one line. Laufey was watching the Jotun battle and didn’t like what he saw. He knew it was time to call for backup. He cracked a bunch of ice, unleashing an enormous monster. The sound of a monster’s growl caught the Asgardian’s attention. The beast broke through its icy prison and chased after the intruders.  
  
“Run!” Volstagg cried.  
  
The entire group did just that, except one. Thor continued to hit more giants with his hammer.  
  
Loki ceased for a moment to see his brother not running with them, “Thor!”   
  
When his brother didn’t hear or ignored him, Loki resumed the pace. If his brother were to die, at least, Thor died doing what he longed to do.   
  
Thor grasped Mjolnir’s strap and spun the hammer in circles. He lowered his spinning hammer against the ground, sending icicles at the Frost Giants, killing them. Still spinning it, he lifted the hammer to create an explosion of lightning, crushing the icicle army.   
  
His followers hurried back to where they started while dodging the beast’s claws, teeth, and tail. Thor’s lightning spell struck the bridge, each piece crumbled and fell into an abyss, including the beast. Fandral exhaled, a smile of relief curled his moustache lips when the worst had passed, now the Asgardians had a chance to escape.  
  
“Heimdall! Open the bridge!” Volstagg ordered.  
  
The group waited anxiously for the Bi-Frost to take them back to Asgard.   
  
Suddenly, the monster’s paw appeared before them. The four warriors still standing backed away from it. Volstagg quietly assured Fandral who still lied on his shoulder that everything was going to be alright. Fandral didn’t know what his friends were seeing, but judging by the monstrous growls, he knew it was wishful thinking to assume it came from Volstagg’s stomach this time. The beast climbed itself on the cliff, staring down at the group; all had a fearful look on their faces.  
  
After Thor finished the Frost Giants, he kept on swinging his hammer in circles, creating enough wind for him to fly in the air, catching up to the group. The beast was ready to devour Thor’s friends and brother. He had to rescue them. He flew towards the beast, aiming straight through its mouth. The beast let out a roar of pain before it died and fell off the cliff. Thor landed on the icy ground, facing his astonished group with a victorious grin.   
  
However, the moment of celebration didn’t last long for he spotted a smirking Laufey along with his vast army of giants. The group knew that they couldn’t take a thousand of them, except for Thor, whose ego continued to inflate. This was it. They were going to die in this wasteland.  
  
The icicle army charged at the Asgardians, but before they could attack, thunder rumbled in the sky. Then, the bright light of the Bi-Frost shined in the dark. An angel appeared before them, riding on his horse. This angel, the Asgardians’ saviour, was none other than Odin himself.   
  
Thor’s face lit up as he lifted his hammer, “Father, we’ll finish them together!”   
  
“Silence!” Odin scolded his eldest son whose smile faded instantly.   
  
Laufey made a staircase to talk to Odin face-to-face.   
  
“Allfather,” the ice king greeted with a taunting look in his red eyes, “you look weary.”   
  
“Laufey, end this now,” Odin ordered.  
  
“Your boy sought this out.”   
  
“You’re right. These are the actions of a boy. Treat them as such. You and I can end this. Here, now. Before there’s bloodshed.”  
  
“We are beyond diplomacy now, Allfather. He’ll get what he came for… war and death.”   
  
Odin knew there was no way around it, to convince Laufey to resume their peace. If Laufey declared war against Asgard…  
  
“So be it.”   
  
Secretly, Laufey turned his hand into a dagger, planning to kill the King of Asgard. Before they could surprise attack, Odin raised his staff, blasting Laufey away. It was enough time for the Asgardians to travel back into the Bi-Frost safely.   
  
  
  
  
  
“Why did you bring us back?!” Thor demanded Odin when they arrived back in the dome.  
  
“Do you realize what you’ve done?!” Odin replied to Thor with his questions.  
  
“What you’ve started?!”  
  
“I was protecting my home!” his son argued.   
  
“You cannot even protect your friends! How can you hope to protect a kingdom?!” Odin withdrew the key blade from the slot to deactivate the Bi-Frost and tossed it to Heimdall.   
  
He turned back to the Warriors Three and Sif, ordering them to escort Fandral to the healing room immediately.  
  
Hogun and Volstagg dragged injured Fandral out, and Sif followed right behind them. Heimdall left the king and the princes alone to converse, returning to his post outside the dome.   
  
“There won’t be a kingdom to protect if you’re afraid to act!” Thor pointed out.   
  
“The Jotuns must learn to fear me, just as they once feared you!”  
  
“That’s pride and vanity talking, not leadership,” Odin scolded.  
  
“You’ve forgotten everything I taught you about a warrior’s patience.”  
  
“While you wait here and be patient, the Nine Realms laugh at us!” Thor argued.  
  
“The old ways are done! You stand by giving speeches, while Asgard falls!”  
  
“You’re a vain, greedy, cruel boy!” Odin shouted, enraged by his son’s behaviour.   
  
“And you’re an old man and a fool!” Thor mimicked his father’s tone.   
  
There was a long pause, the tension remained between. Odin’s face saddened, lowering his head in a reluctant nod.   
  
“You’re right…” he declared quietly.  
  
“I was a fool… to think you were ready.”  
  
Loki stayed out of their way, watching while listening to his family argue. He couldn’t close his ears if he wanted to. After what his father said, Loki had to say something, begging for mercy on his brother’s behalf. He stepped forward.   
  
“Father-“   
  
Odin turned to his younger son and snarled, silencing him back into submission.   
  
Odin returned his attention to the eldest prince, “Thor Odinson, you have betrayed the expressed command of your king. Through your arrogance and stupidity, you have opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war!”  
  
He placed his staff into the Bi-Frost, creating lightning in the dome. He approached his eldest, prying Thor’s badges off his armour.  
  
“You are unworthy of these realms!”  
  
Then, Odin ripped the crimson cape, “You are unworthy of your title! You’re _unworthy_ …”   
  
He looked at his eldest son, who was heartbroken by his father’s hurtful words. Tears were watering his blue eyes, though it wasn’t enough to gain the king’s pity.   
  
“Of the loved ones, you have betrayed,” Odin finished softly.  
  
He returned to his staff that activated the Bi-Frost.  
  
“I now take from you your power!”   
  
He held out his hand, summoning Mjolnir, “In the name of my father before… I, Odin Allfather, cast you out!”   
  
The king aimed the hammer at Thor, wo forcible flew backwards into the Bi-Frost. Loki watched Thor disappear in horror, gazing at his father with the same expression. Odin had done it. He had banished his own flesh and blood.   
  
Odin ignored his youngest’s silent judgement as he whispered into Mjolnir – a promise, “Thus whoever holds this hammer if he be worthy shall possess the power of Thor.”  
  
After he declared those words, the king tossed Mjolnir into the Bi-Frost.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The night cooled as the moon rose over the desert town. The van parked in the middle of nowhere. Most of its passengers watched the sky in boredom.  
  
Garret was playing with his game boy. Darcy was sitting next to him, resting her head against the passenger seat with her eyes closed.   
  
Catherine, Kelsey, and AJ were outside, breathing the fresh air. AJ peered behind him, watching Jane and Erik getting their equipment ready.   
  
“Jane, I thought you said this would be like a Batman stakeout,” AJ said to her in boredom.  
  
“Well, it is, AJ,” Jane assured him lightly.  
  
“But just like Batman, he has to wait for the criminals to commit a crime.”   
  
“How long?” AJ whined.   
  
Jane sighed, “For as long as it takes. Why don’t you finish your homework?”   
  
“But it’s too hard and I’m starving!”   
  
“So am I!” Darcy raised her hand in agreement.  
  
“We’ll get something on the way back, alright?” Jane said, irritably.   
  
AJ groaned as he turned back around and laid his head on Kelsey’s shoulder. He should be finishing his reading homework but it was too dark to see the pages, not that it was a legitimate excuse for he was holding a flashlight that shined on Kelsey’s face. She squinted her eyes and shoved the light away, telling him to watch it. He noticed that she had her phone out, listening to Kelly Clarkson through her earphones. He knew he should’ve brought his DS with him. He tapped her shoulder to ask if he could play a game on her phone, but Kelsey wasn’t the type to share. She refused and told him to do his homework.  
  
“Stop being so lazy,” she grumbled.   
  
AJ wasn’t trying to be a procrastinator, he just needed help. Kelsey thought she was better than him and Jane. The boy crossed his fingers, waiting to see the look on Kelsey’s face when Jane proves her wrong for once.  
  
Catherine noticed his upset look. Standing up, smiling gently, she walked over to him and kneeled down to his level.   
  
“Want me to help you with your homework? If you finish it, I’ll let you play on my phone.”  
  
AJ’s brightened and quickly nodded. As though as it might be with Kelsey, he was grateful that Catherine was much more easy going and kinder. Kelsey, however, didn’t agree. She glared at her sister in jealousy and disagreement, for helping their brother.   
  
Erik and Jane popped their heads the roof of the van, looking up at the night sky. Jane picked up a large gadget, that was continually beeping. The noise was a good sign so far. They both stared at the sky, waiting for something to happen.  
  
Listening to the beeping machines inside the van, Kelsey growled with irritation, wishing there was a mute button. She tried to focus on her happy thoughts – movies, cheesecake, and swimming pools.  
  
When was the last time she had done her abs crunches?   
  
After a minute quickly passed by, Erik glared at Jane, who still had a determined look on her face.  
  
“Wait for it,” Jane whispered to him, without taking her eyes off the sky.   
  
Darcy looked over at Jane behind her seat and asked, “Can I turn on the radio?”  
  
“No.”  
  
The intern huffed and rolled her eyes, turning her head back to her usual position. She looked over at Garret and noticed that he was playing a game. Darcy, too, should’ve brought entertainment for herself, but she left it back at the RV. Garret’s game boy was the only thing preventing boredom.   
  
“Hey,” Darcy called out to him.  
  
Garret didn’t move a muscle, either he didn’t hear her, or he’s merely ignoring her. Sick of seeing Mario fall to his death for the tenth time, Darcy shoved Garret, causing his earbuds to fall out of his ears.   
  
Garret glared at Darcy in shock and annoyance, “What the hell, Darcy?!”   
  
“Can I play?” Darcy asked with forced politeness.  
  
Garret creased his brows in confusion, “What?”   
  
“You suck, and I want to play!”   
  
Garret scoffed as he stuck his earbuds back in his ears, “Get your own game boy. And for the record, I don’t suck!”  
  
“Garret, can I play your game boy?” AJ asked outside.  
  
“Sure, squirt,” Garret stretched his arm back with the console in hand.   
  
Darcy scoffed; his smugness intensified the rage.  
  
Instead of taking no for an answer, Darcy reached to steal Garret’s game boy. His arm blocked Darcy’s reach, keeping her from taking what’s his.  
  
“I said, get your own!” Garret barked.  
  
Darcy was more determined, using both hands to take the device from him. She leaped while Garret leaned away from her. Darcy had already stolen his coffee; there’s no way he’s going to let her take his game console too.   
  
“Hasn’t your mom ever taught you to share?” Darcy asked.   
  
“Hasn’t your mom ever taught you not to steal?!” Garret spat at her.  
  
“Sharing is caring!”  
  
“A thief is a thief!”   
  
“Shut up!” the people behind them snapped with irritation.  
  
“That’s enough!” Erik’s stern tone of voice caused Darcy and Garret to pause their mid-fight.  
  
“Don’t make me come down here!” Jane threatened from above the roof, feeling like she’s raising four kids instead of two for the summer.  
  
At least Catherine behaved like a grown up.  
  
The two enemies narrowed their eyes at each other before they regained their posture.  
  
Every minute wasted, Kelsey was closer to winning her bet with Jane. She was right; nothing was going to happen tonight.  
  
“Jane,” Erik began softly, “you can’t keep doing this.”   
  
Jane panicked as she ducked back inside the van.   
  
Her full attention was on her hand-made equipment, “The last seventeen occurrences have been predictable to the second!”   
  
“I keep telling you, Jane,” Kelsey mumbled.   
  
“There’s nothing out there.”  
  
“Shut up, Kelsey!” AJ spat.   
  
“Quit being so annoying!”   
  
“You quit being annoying!” Kelsey snapped back.  
  
“Stop it, both of you!” Catherine hissed at them.   
  
“Jane, you’re an astrophysicist, not a storm chaser,” Erik reminded her.  
  
“Storm chasing sounds exciting,” Garret commented.  
  
“A lot of action, danger-“   
  
“Ooh, good idea,” Darcy said in a fake cheerful tone.  
  
“Next we could become archaeologists, hunting for buried treasure, kicking ass, and getting chased by a boulder.”   
  
Garret knew Darcy was talking sarcasm, but her idea sounded way more exciting. He could pull off the Indiana Jones look. The hat on top could impress Jane.  
  
“Did I forget to tell you how much I _love_ your ideas?”   
  
Darcy scoffed, not sure if he picked up her sarcasm or not. Either way, it’s not happening for her, not by a long shot.  
  
“Forget it!” Darcy cried.   
  
“I’m only here for six college credits, not a suicide mission.”  
  
“What do you think this is? Some kind of Suicide Squad?” Garret challenged.  
  
“Better not! I’m don’t get paid enough… I don’t get paid period,” Darcy mumbled at the last part quietly.  
  
“I’m telling you, Erik!” Jane insisted on her theory.   
  
“There’s a connection between these atmospheric disturbances and my research! I wouldn’t have asked you to fly out here if I wasn’t sure.”   
  
AJ looked to the sky and spotted a strange, blue light. He didn’t know what it was, but he was sure it’s the aurora everybody had been talking about.   
  
“Jane!” AJ called out to his aunt.   
  
Jane didn’t want to hear another one of AJ’s complaints.   
  
She huffed and asked in a dismissive tone, “What is it, AJ?”   
  
“Does the night sky always shine a blue light like that?” AJ asked, pointing at where the light was.  
  
Everyone paused what they’re doing, confused by AJ’s words. Then, they followed their eyes in the direction of AJ’s chubby finger.   
  
Garret and Darcy turned their side mirrors; Jane and Erik stuck their heads through the sunroof; Catherine and Kelsey simply turned their heads – all jaws dropped at the sight.   
  
“Holy crap,” Kelsey mumbled quietly.   
  
She rubbed her eyes to make sure that she wasn’t seeing things.   
  
“Wow,” Catherine whispered, staring in awe at the sky.  
  
Everyone stared at the beautiful blue aurora, dumbfounded and amazed. Jane’s luck was about to change, she’s going to prove her niece wrong.  
  
“What is that?” Jane asked.  
  
“I thought you said it was a subtle aurora!” Erik exclaimed.   
  
“Go!” Jane cried out.  
  
Catherine, Kelsey, and AJ hurried inside the van, not caring about the dust on their pants and skirt. Garret quickly ignited the engine and slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The trailer took off, and Kelsey didn’t have enough time to shut the door. Her butt was laying at the edge of the van with her legs hanging out. AJ huddled in the corner, knees tucked against his chest with his homework in between. Catherine was sitting inside, but close by the door.  
  
“Kelsey, what are you doing, sitting there like that?!” Erik demanded as he and Jane hurried past the siblings to get a better look at the aurora.  
  
“Shut the door!”  
  
“Good idea!” Kelsey spat hatefully as she tried to reach her way to the handle of the door without falling out.  
  
“If only somebody could help me!”   
  
The task became difficult when Garret made a sharp turn. She felt herself slipping, now holding onto the van door for dear life, lifting her legs off the ground.   
  
Catherine quickly crawled to her, sticking out her hand, “Grab my hand!”  
  
Kelsey grabbed her hand tightly, not planning to let go and fall to perhaps her death.  
  
“Get closer!” Jane commanded Garret as she sat on Darcy’s lap, getting the camera ready.   
  
She stuck her head and arm, which was holding the camera, out the window. Her number one focus was getting that aurora on tape.  
  
“That’s a good one, Jane,” Darcy grumbled, trying to shift Jane’s weight off her, so she could start breathing again.  
  
“Go!” Jane barked at Garret impatiently.  
  
The boy sped the van closer and closer until the aurora turned into a terrifying tornado, lightning sparkling through the funnel cloud. Everyone’s eyes widened and mouths dropped with mixed emotions.   
  
Who knew that a beautiful aurora could turn into a deadly storm?   
  
Garret widened his eyes in fear, “Holy shit! It’s a twister, Jane! It’s a twister!”  
  
He was told not go near a tornado, but when Jane encouraged him to get closer, Garret realized the woman had become insane. He would do anything for her, but not this.  
  
Darcy managed to push Jane off and grabbed the wheel, turning the van away from the twister.  
  
“What the hell?!” Garret cried.   
  
“What are you doing?!” Jane demanded.  
  
“I am not dying for six college credits!” Darcy exclaimed, then said to Garret, “I know you would die for Jane, _Stupidana_ Jones, but I’m not!”  
  
Garret and Darcy fought control over the wheel. Jane didn’t take her eyes off the tornado, keeping the camera still. Erik was holding onto AJ, giving him the fatherly comfort. AJ never felt so excited and scared at the same time. He admitted that this was better than watching Batman on TV.   
  
“You know what?! Screw this!”   
  
Garret steered to make u U-Turn, away from the danger, only to unexpectedly slam a shadowy figure against the passenger side of the vehicle.   
  
Everyone freaked by screaming. Darcy slammed her foot against the brake, causing the van to make a 360-degree turn. Finally, the vehicle made a screeching halt, and the twister disappeared. They all looked at each other, horrified at what they had just witnessed.  
  
“Is everyone alright?” Erik broke the silence.   
  
“What kind of question is that?!” Darcy demanded.   
  
“We almost got killed!”  
  
Garret finally caught his breath, only to notice cracked glass on the passenger window, “Uh… I-I think I hit something.”   
  
Everyone noticed the back door wide open and two persons missing.  
  
“Uh… were are Catherine and Kelsey?” Erik asked.  
  
All looked between one another and outside, gasping in horror. They now realized who Garret could’ve ran over.  
  
“Oh, my God!” Jane fumbled with the door handle.   
  
Erik reached across her body to assist her struggle.   
  
“Catherine! Kelsey!”   
  
Once the door flew open, Jane took off, not taking a flashlight with her.  
  
“Holy shit!” Darcy grabbed her flashlight and turned to Garret as if she was about to hit him with her lethal weapon.  
  
“This is legally your fault!”   
  
“Oh, my God!” Garret and Darcy jumped out of the vehicle.   
  
Erik and AJ took the back exit.   
  
“I’m so sorry, Catherine and Kelsey!” Garret cried out.   
  
Jane hurried in the dark with a frantic look in her eyes. Panic was all she could feel at this point. She needed to find the sisters and take them straight to the hospital.   
  
Garret and Darcy’s flashlights shined on the ground, revealing a lifeless body a few feet from the van.   
  
Jane gasped and covered her mouth in terror, “Oh my God!”   
  
She ran towards one of the girls’ body to inspect the injuries and feel for a pulse, “Somebody call 9-1-1! Get the first aid kit!”   
  
Erik immediately pulled out a phone to do just that. AJ rushed to Jane’s side, praying that his sisters weren’t dead.   
  
When the group got a closer look on the lifeless body, Darcy and Garret dropped their flashlights in disbelief. AJ picked up one from the ground and shined it on the face. Jane kneeled next to the body and stared with wide eyes. Catherine or Kelsey’s body was different. It didn’t look like one of them.  
  
“Oh my God…” Garret said in a whisper, before crying out, “that crazy-ass storm turned one of them into a dude!”


	5. Chapter 4: Unexpected Guests

“Oh my God…” Garret said in a whisper, before crying out, “that crazy-ass storm turned one of them into a dude!”   
  
Everyone glared at him as if he was crazy, except for AJ, who was thrilled that he now had an older brother and not a sister. He hoped it was Kelsey instead of Catherine though.   
  
“Cool,” AJ commented with a smile.   
  
The others didn’t know what to believe. That storm came out of nowhere, and Catherine and Kelsey weren’t around, just an unconscious man on the ground. Maybe Garret was right. Perhaps the storm did turn one of the girls into a guy.  
  
It’s impossible, but Jane’s father once said, _**“Nothing is impossible.”**_  
  
Jane took in the man’s appearance to see that he was blonde with facial hair, had bulky muscles underneath the long sleeve, grey undershirt. Darcy used her flashlight to analyse the man’s features and became astonished. If the man was one of the sisters, the storm did a great job with the extreme makeover.  
  
“Does Catherine or Kelsey need CPR?” Darcy asked once she had taken one of the girls’ handsome appearance.  
  
“I totally know how to do it!”  
  
Jane hovered her ear over his face to feel any signs of breathing; her heart pounded faster in a panic.  
  
“Can somebody call 9-1-1?!” Jane asked out loud, cupping the man’s neck to check for a pulse.  
  
“We’re outside of town,” Erik explained as he extended his arm for a signal.  
  
“We have no reception here.”   
  
“Then, get the first aid kit!” Jane snapped.   
  
She began whispering to the man, pleading, “Kelsey, if this is you, I’m so, so sorry. I know that you hate me right now, but please do me a favour and don’t be dead. Catherine, if it is you, I beg for your forgiveness. You’re like a daughter, and I don’t want to lose you. Please!”   
  
If this was Catherine or Kelsey and they both are dead, Jane wasn’t going to hear the end of it. She’d been trusted to take care of AJ and Kelsey as if they were her children for the summer. And she had taken care of Catherine since she was small. She just proved herself to be a splendid guardian tonight, officially Mother of the Year.  
  
The man miraculously gasped wide awake, startling the team.  
  
“Oh, thank God!” Garret cried with relief.  
  
The man blinked at the bright light and stared at the woman above him – a possible angel of Valhalla.   
  
Had he died?   
  
Jane noticed his eye colour. She recognized that Kelsey had brown eyes, not blue; not to mention the hair colour.   
  
Could it be Catherine then?  
  
But Catherine’s eyes were a different shape of blue; and her hair was more curly.  
  
But if this man wasn’t either of the sisters, then who was he? Where did he come from? More importantly, where are Catherine and Kelsey?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Loki and Odin watched Thor getting sucked into the Bi-Frost, tossing him and the hammer into a world of mortals, also known as Midgard.   
  
Loki looked back at his father, completely astonished, “Father… I-“   
  
“No need to plea for mercy, my son,” Odin said.  
  
“You believe that banishing Thor might’ve been too harsh and not wise.”  
  
Loki closed his mouth, refusing to say another word.   
  
“It may have been harsh. It may have been cruel, but the boy needs to be punished. Your brother needs to learn.”   
  
“Will Thor ever become King?” Loki asked curiously.   
  
“Will he return home?”  
  
Odin fell silent, not sure how to answer his question, “That is entirely up to him.”   
  
“What of Mother?” Loki questioned his father once more.  
  
“I believe she will not take the news of Thor too kind.”  
  
Odin shook his head, agreeing with him, “No… she won’t, but in time, Frigga will understand my reasons. It had to be done. For the good of Asgard.”  
  
Odin walked down the steps, taking his leave.   
  
“Come along, my son.” Loki looked at the spot where he last saw his brother before he turned away to follow his father.  
  
Then, the unexpected happened.   
  
The bright light from the Bi-Frost appeared, shining on Loki’s back. Odin and Loki whirled around and shielded their eyes from the light. Odin looked around to see if Heimdall was activating the Bi-Frost.   
  
“Heimdall!” Odin called out to the gatekeeper.  
  
“Heimdall!”   
  
The golden-eyed guard quickly made his way to his king and halted to see the Bi-Frost working without his key.  
  
“Heimdall, what’s the meaning of this?!” Odin demanded.   
  
Out of all the questions, Heimdall could answer, this wasn’t one of them.  
  
“I do not know, My King,” Heimdall replied helplessly.   
  
“Close the Bi-Frost!” Loki ordered him.   
  
Heimdall rushed to where he would insert his sword to open the portal. The problem was he didn’t know how to close it. It only closed when his sword wasn’t in place. Something was wrong. This had never happened before. First, the Frost Giants sneaked past his watch; now this. Heimdall was having an off day. Maybe if he inserted his key and pulled it out, the Bi-Frost would close on its own; Heimdall did just that.   
  
Before he could pull it out, two screaming figures came out of the Bi-Frost. One stumbled her way towards Heimdall, slamming her head against the stairs, face down. The other bumped into a wall and curled herself into a ball to protect herself.   
  
Heimdall stood there and stared at the uninvited guests in shock. He may be known to see everything, but this unexpected. Loki and Odin analysed the figure on the stairs and noticed that this creature was wearing grey, the same colour Thor had worn underneath his dematerialized armour.  
  
“Thor!” Loki rushed over and kneeled to the figure’s side, followed by his father.   
  
Loki took a closer look to see that this creature wasn’t his brother, not even close. It was the body of a brunette girl – small, frail, but curvy.  
  
Loki turned her body over and brushed the strands of her hair away to look at her face. It was Kelsey. She was groaning in pain, not noticing the gods in her presence as her eyes were shut.  
  
Loki analysed her, examining possible signs of injuries, “Girl, are you alright?”   
  
Kelsey did not respond.   
  
“My dear, if you can hear me open your eyes!”  
  
Still no reaction.   
  
With a frustrated sigh, Loki gently laid her back, while his eyes catch the form of another creature. This one was a female as well, with curly blonde locks, and a tanned skin.  
  
Loki rushed over to the girl, but as she saw him coming towards her, her eyes widened in fear and she whimpered. Loki kneeled down towards her and stuck his hand out to her.   
  
“Are you alright, my dear?”  
  
The girl, who was Catherine, simply backed slightly away in fear. She had no idea who this was and it frightened her.  
  
“It’s alright, I’m not gonna hurt you,” he reassured her gently.  
  
Loki brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. He was stunned. Whoever this young woman was, she was, in Loki’s opinion, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.  
  
Catherine was still frightened over the whole ordeal she had just experienced. Something in her told her she could trust this man. As she looked at him, she too was lost for words. He was gorgeous young man, with raven black hair and emerald eyes. He looked like a prince out of a fairy-tale.  
  
Both of them stared at each other in wonder, lost in the other’s beauty.   
  


  
  
  
The three gods could tell that these girls were weak mortals from Midgard.   
  
Why were they here and not Thor? More importantly, how did they get here?   
  
“Who are you, Girl, and how did you get here?!” Odin demanded Catherine angrily.   
  
Once again, Catherine whimpered and closed her eyes, fearing she might get hurt.   
  
Loki glared at his father, “Stop it, Father! You’re frightening her!”   
  
Gently, Loki stroke her cheek. Whatever this girl had experienced, she was absolutely terrified.   
  
“Shh shh, it’s alright. You’re safe…”   
  
Catherine looked back at him. He looked genuine when he said those words, so there was no reason to not trust him.  
  
Loki gently stroke her hands, staring at her with kindness, “I know you must’ve been through a lot, but you need to explain us how you came here. Can you do that?”   
  
Catherine softly nodded, “I-I was driving with my family and friends to this strange aurora, which turned into a storm. I must have fallen out the van when my sister-“   
  
Her gaze locked on Kelsey and her eyes watered with tears and terror struck her face.   
  
“Kelsey!” she screamed.   
  
She quickly stood up and rushed to her sister’s side. She lifted Kelsey’s head and gasped as she saw a gash of blood flowing down her jawline and on the steps and Catherine’s dress.   
  
“Kelsey! Kelsey! Wake up!” Catherine tried.  
  
Sadly, Kelsey was still unconscious.   
  
With panic, Catherine looked back at Loki, pleading, “Please, Sir, my sister needs help!”   
  
Loki was shocked at the sight of the young girl’s injury. Sympathy fell over him as the blonde girl cried, all worried over her sister. Loki knew he would be in the same state if this would’ve happened to him and Thor.  
  
Rushing to the sisters, Loki used his magic to lift the brunette one in the air with his magic. When she was floating securely, Loki gently wrapped his arms around Catherine, rubbing her arms in comfort, leading her out of the dome.  
  
“Loki, what are you doing?” Odin demanded.   
  
“Her sister is losing blood, Father! She needs help!” Loki replied with haste.   
  
“I have to take them both to the healing room – quickly!”  
  
Ignoring his father’s protest, Loki sped out of the dome with Catherine, hoping they’ll make it to the healers in time.   
  
“Shh, shh. Your sister will be alright, My Lady.”   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everyone stepped back when mortal Thor leaped up from the ground and started pacing around in circles and looking up at the night sky. Erik pulled AJ behind him, protecting the boy from the bulky stranger. There’s no telling what this man would do.  
  
“Are you alright?” Jane asked Thor with concern.  
  
He didn’t answer Jane. His primary focus was on the sky.  
  
“Hammer! Hammer!” Thor cried.  
  
“Yeah, we can tell that you’re hammered,” Darcy mumbled.   
  
“Obviously.”  
  
“Uh… Catherine, Kelsey, are you okay?” Garret asked Thor.  
  
“Garret, it’s not Catherine nor Kelsey,” Jane said, not taking her eyes off the stranger.  
  
“Kelsey’s eyes are brown, not blue. And Catherine’s blue eyes have a different shade.”  
  
“So I don’t have an older brother?” AJ wailed in disappointment.  
  
He always wanted a brother.   
  
“Okay…” Garret shined the light on the man and stared in awkward confusion, “if it’s not Catherine nor Kelsey, then who is he, and why does he keep saying ‘hammer’ over and over again?”   
  
“Hammer!” Thor repeated.  
  
Jane stood up, demanding answers from this man, “Sir!”   
  
“Father!” Thor changed his words, still pacing back and forth.   
  
His eyes had never left the sky.   
  
“Excuse me?” Jane chased after him in circles.  
  
“Sir, can I please talk to you?”  
  
“Father!”   
  
No matter how hard Jane tried to get his attention, Thor wasn’t going to stop and listen to her.  
  
“Jane, we should take him to the hospital,” Erik suggested.  
  
“Which one?” Garret asked.  
  
“Medical or mental?”  
  
“Father!” Thor cried out.  
  
“He’s fine,” Jane waved it off casually, still chasing him.  
  
“Look at him move.”   
  
“Heimdall!” Thor cried angrily at the sky, stopping his pace.  
  
“I know you can hear me, Heimdall! Open the Bi-Frost!”   
  
Jane stopped walking when she realized how crazy the man sounded. She stepped beside Erik, pushing AJ behind them for his protection.  
  
“Hospital. Good idea,” she agreed.   
  
“You go and take him. I’ll stay and search for Catherine and Kelsey.”  
  
Garret felt terrible about running Thor over, even though Darcy was partially responsible. He gathered enough courage to face the mental man. He tapped Thor’s bulky shoulder for his attention.  
  
“Uh… dude,” Garret began nervously, “are you feeling-“   
  
His words were cut off when his arms were grabbed tightly and his feet were lifted off the ground. He screamed, sounding like a scared little girl. Darcy would’ve laughed at him for being such a wimp, but was too busy with the situation at hand.  
  
“You boy!” Thor shook Garret roughly like a ragdoll.  
  
“What realm is this?!”   
  
“Do what now?!” Garret questioned him while kicking his feet.  
  
“Where am I?!” Thor tightened his grip.  
  
“Nornheim?! Alfheim?!”   
  
“Uh…” Garret was too scared of Thor to reply.  
  
He could feel Thor cutting off his blood circulation with his tight grip. His silence and tremble form thinned Thor’s patience.  
  
“Don’t you dare ignore me, boy!” Thor cried angrily.  
  
“Dude, I swear I’m not!” Garret pleaded scarcely.   
  
“P-Please p-put me down! Put me down!”  
  
“I beg your pardon?!” Thor blinked, taken a back by his reference to him.  
  
“I am not what you call a dude! Don’t you know who I am?! I am Thor! The God of Thunder, and the almighty King of As-“  
  
He suddenly felt electric sparks of pain shooting through his body. His nervous system gave up as well as his consciousness. He collapsed to the ground, landing on top of Garret.   
  
Jane, Erik, and AJ’s mouth dropped in shock, turning to the person responsible for the knockout – Darcy Lewis and her taser.   
  
“What?! He was freaking me out!” Darcy cried defensively, without taking her eyes off Thor.   
  
Garret tried to shove the guy off, but he was too heavy.  
  
“Help me. Can somebody help me, please?!”  
  
Erik and Jane sped over and shifted Thor’s weight off him.   
  
AJ stood by Darcy and stared at her weapon in amazement, “Cool.”   
  
“I know right,” Darcy agreed as she played with the taser button, creating electrical sparks.   
  
AJ reached for the taser, hoping that Darcy would let him try it out, “Can I-“   
  
“Nope,” Darcy cut him off, putting the taser back in her purse.  
  
“Sorry kiddo. Tasers are for big kids only.”  
  
“I’m seven!” AJ pointed out.  
  
“Exactly,” Darcy joined the group.   
  
AJ sauntered behind with a puppy pout on his face. He could never have a single night of fun. Jane and Erik rolled Thor’s unconscious body back on the dirty ground.  
  
Garret gasped for breath and crab-walked backward, away from Thor, “The hell, man! I thought I was going to die.”  
  
Jane kneeled in front of Garret, placing a hand on his shoulder, “Garret, are you okay?”   
  
“No!” Garret rubbed the bruises on his arm.   
  
“I think he cracked a bone!”  
  
“Aww. Garret, I’m so sorry. Do we need to get you to the hospital?”  
  
Garret looked at Jane with pain in his eyes and mumbled, “Well… actually, I’ll feel a lot better if someone kisses my boo-boo away.”  
  
Jane couldn’t help but snort at his poor attempt for a kiss. She covered her mouth to hold back her laughter, even though a _possible_ broken bone wasn’t funny.   
  
Darcy rolled her eyes, “You’re fine, Romeo.”  
  
AJ stared at Thor’s body in wonder. He kneeled closer to him and pocked his ab muscles. He couldn’t feel any squishy fat underneath his fingers. It was like touching body armour. AJ hoped that when he grows older, he could have a muscular body like Thor’s and become a superhero from the comics.  
  
Erik turned and widened his eyes to see AJ getting closer to Thor.  
  
He picked him up, keeping a safe distance from him, “AJ, what are you doing? Get away from him!”   
  
“Why?” AJ questioned him.  
  
“Darcy put him to sleep. It’s not like he’s going to wake up anytime soon.”  
  
“Have you seen a horror movie, kid?” Darcy asked.  
  
“This is a jumpscare waiting to happen.”   
  
“Would he wake up as the Hulk?!” AJ exclaimed with widening, hopeful eyes.  
  
“Cause that would be awesome!”  
  
Erik scowled at AJ’s enthusiasm, “AJ, the Hulk is a mean green tale to scare people.”   
  
“Nuh-uh! I saw pictures on the internet! It said that Culver got struck by a gamma meteorite, killing millions and millions of people, but only one man survived with powers!”  
  
Darcy rolled her eyes, “Yeah, kid, believe everything you read on the web.”   
  
“Pawpa saw him! He’s real! He’s gigantic, and he has those big fists that can smash everything! He’s cool!”  
  
Knowing that Erik couldn’t talk sense into the seven-year-old, he ordered the boy to go back inside the van.  
  
AJ huffed as he stomped his way back, “I never get to do anything fun.”   
  
“So what are we going to do with him?” Darcy asked, gently kicking Thor’s butt cheek.  
  
“Well, we can’t just leave him here,” Jane picked up the flashlight that Garret dropped.   
  
“He might have a concussion. Erik, Darcy, take the man to the hospital and the kids home. I think it’s best if I stay here and search for Catherine and Kelsey.”  
  
“In the dark? All by yourself?” Garret shook his head, disapproving of her idea.  
  
“Uh-uh. Bad idea. You know what happens to women when they’re alone in horror movies! Damn!”   
  
“I hate to say it, but Garret’s right,” Erik declared.  
  
“We can’t leave you here by yourself, Jane. It’s dangerous.”  
  
“But Catherine and Kelsey could be around here somewhere!” Jane cried desperately.  
  
“They could be unconscious or hurt, or-“   
  
“Jane, maybe we should call the police,” Erik suggested.   
  
Darcy scoffed, “The police. Please. The cops won’t help.”  
  
That earned looks from her comrades as if she was an idiot.  
  
“How do you know?” Erik demanded.   
  
“Well, from what I heard, if a person goes missing, they’ll always make you wait 24 hours, and by the time they could help, they become useless, especially right after the bad guy gets his ass kicked. Believe me. I watch Lifetime.”  
  
“That’s not true!” Garret jumped into the conversation, stretching his sore triceps.  
  
Darcy glared at Garret with irritation, putting a hand on her hip, “Oh, what makes you think I’m wrong, huh?”  
  
“They only use that rule for TV shows, not real life!”   
  
“Nuh-uh.”   
  
“Uh-huh.”   
  
“Nuh-uh.”   
  
“Uh-huh.”   
  
“It doesn’t matter!” Erik snapped, ending the obnoxious debate.   
  
“We need to report Catherine and Kelsey missing anyway, or this becomes another Casey Anthony case.”   
  
Everyone blinked at Erik’s choice of words. Jane was a little offended that Erik compared her to that party mom. Jane never parties, she works – big difference.   
  
“We haven’t searched the fields yet. We don’t know what happened, and how this guy got here,” Jane pointed out, gesturing Thor on the ground.  
  
“If we did call the police, what are we going to tell them?”  
  
Everyone was silent, not exactly sure how to answer that.  
  
“See? You guys don’t know either. I say before we get the police involved, we should search every inch of this field for Catherine and Kelsey, gather what we know. If the girls aren’t found by then, we’ll call.”   
  
Erik paused for a minute. He looked at Jane to see the look of desperation and guilt on her face. She was the one who forced her niece to tag along, who put both sisters lives in danger, blaming herself of Catherine and Kelsey’s disappearance.   
  
How could she?  
  
Jane didn’t know that this was going to happen. The girls were gone, and there was this strange man on the ground. He might know something, or he could be a nut. Jane was right; they should figure out what happened before they make the call.   
  
The man yawned, nodding his head in agreement, “Alright, Jane. You’re right.”  
  
Jane held back the smile of satisfaction. There’s no time to be celebrating. She must search for her nieces.   
  
They all divided into teams. Erik, AJ, and Darcy would take Thor to the hospital; while Jane and Garret stayed behind to search for Catherine and Kelsey. The whole group thought that Garret should go with Erik and AJ to the hospital and let Darcy help Jane, but Garret insisted that nothing was broken. He wanted to be with his crush, and not be crushed by Thor, again. Besides, Jane needed a man to protect her if something were to happen.   
  
Erik asked Garret to help carry Thor inside the van. When Garret decided to act like a wimp, Darcy jumped in to help, despite the risk of a possible surprise attack from the patient.   
  
“You are taking him to a mental institution, right?” Garret felt uneasy when watching the struggle to shove Thor inside the back of the van.  
  
“Garret,” Jane tugged Garret’s jacket for his attention, “don’t worry about him. You’re helping me find Catherine and Kelsey, remember?”   
  
Garret smiled at that thought. Despite the circumstances, he was going to spend some quality time alone with Jane. He wouldn’t like to call this a romantic date, a search date maybe. It’s better than the alternative – no date at all.  
  
Garret nodded, “Right.”   
  
Erik grunted, finally managing to put Thor’s upper half in the van.  
  
“Darcy, word of advice… next time you decide to taser somebody, be sure he’s already in the car, okay?” Erik said to her irritably.  
  
They both slid Thor’s other half into the vehicle.  
  
“Jane, we’ll meet you here once we drop the man off,” Erik instructed.   
  
“Alright,” Jane and Garret walked away, shining their flashlights in every direction, calling out the sisters names.  
  
“AJ,” Erik walked over to the boy, who was sitting at Kelsey’s last known position, swinging his feet over the edge, barely touching the desert ground.  
  
“Yeah, Doctor Erik?” AJ asked.   
  
Erik nudged his head to the side, gesturing where he wanted the boy to sit for the ride, “Get in the front.”   
  
Darcy widened her eyes and mouth dropped in disbelief, “What?!”  
  
She watched the boy climb into the passenger’s seat, her seat.   
  
“How come he gets to sit in the front?”  
  
“In case the man wakes up, I don’t want to put AJ in the crossfire,” Erik explained.  
  
Darcy scoffed, slapping her thighs, “Oh, I see. So you don’t mind sacrificing my ass like a little lamb? You know it’s against the law for an underage child to sit in the front. What if we get into an accident and the airbag kills him?”  
  
“Get in the back!” Erik snapped, heading to the driver’s side.  
  
“But what if he wakes up?!” Darcy asked.  
  
“Do what you’d done before. Taser him,” Erik replied as he stepped inside the vehicle and shut the door behind him.   
  
Darcy rolled her eyes as she crawled next to the hunk.   
  
“Typical,” she grumbled under her breath, slamming the doors shut.   
  
As they drove away, thunder erupted in the sky, a comic-of-sorts was shot down to earth, creating a massive shake on the desert ground. The vehicle bounced slightly, shaking the passengers inside.  
  
“What was that?” AJ looked through the side window to investigate but saw nothing significant.   
  
Erik dismissed it as a speed bump, a misalignment of sand.   
  
Jane and Garret knew that wasn’t the case when they felt the shake, heard the boom, and saw that fallen star.   
  
Could it be a meteorite? An alien?  
  
“What the hell?!” Garret cried as his arm, that’s holding the flashlight, started to tremble.   
  
Jane gasped for breath as she started running towards the scene while screaming Catherine and Kelsey’s name. There was hesitation on Garret’s part to follow Jane, but he trailed behind her, knowing the consequences if they were to separate – a possible death scene for one or both victims.


	6. Chapter 5: One Hell Of A Crazy Night

“Stay still, please,” Eir instructed Fandral, pouring some clear sparkling liquid onto the wound.   
  
Fandral cringed his teeth, feeling the stinging sensation in his chest.   
  
Volstagg walked behind the healing table, offering his hand to Fandral, “Here, my good friend. Squeeze it.”  
  
Fandral grasped his hand, squeezing it tightly while grunting in pain. Meanwhile, Hogun and Sif watched and flinched from Fandral’s cries. Fandral took deep, relieving breaths as another healer placed the bandage over the wound.  
  
“Here you are,” Eir finished with a pleasant smile.   
  
“That should heal by morning.”   
  
“Excellent,” Fandral said breathlessly, returning the smile as he released Volstagg’s hand.   
  
Volstagg shook the ache from his hand as he walked back to Sif and Hogun.  
  
“Well then…” Fandral struggled to sit up from the table, “may I go?”  
  
Eir gently pushed him back on the table, “I’m afraid not. I need to keep you for a while longer.”  
  
Sif furrowed her brows in confusion.   
  
She stepped beside Eir, giving her a questionable look, “But Eir, you said that he’s going to be fine.”  
  
Eir nodded, “Yes, I did. There is no need to fret, Lady Sif. We are just taking precautions.”  
  
Eir glared at Fandral with a scolding, motherly look, “Sir Fandral is lucky that the ice didn’t pierce his heart.”  
  
“What can I say… I was born lucky,” Fandral grinned.   
  
His hearty laugh was contagious, for everyone embraced the peaceful moment. If only Thor were around to take part in the circle of snickers.   
  
Where could he be?   
  
They hoped that Odin hadn’t punished his future king too harshly.   
  
The doors burst wide open. Everyone looked over their shoulder to see two guards, a unconscious girl floating in the air, and Loki walking with another girl, who he was rubbing her arms in comfort. The idea of the healers calling out for the night had shattered into a million pieces.  
  
“Eir!” Loki called out, rushing to an empty table near Fandral’s.   
  
“Your highness, what’s the matter?” Eir asked worriedly.   
  
“She needs help!” he laid the floating girl down.   
  
Eir and four other healers sped to the table, examining the unresponsive girl. Blood was draining from Kelsey’s skull, staining her cheek, her hair, traveling down to her neck. Sif and the two warriors peered around Loki and the blonde girl to see the situation as well.   
  
What happened to these girls?   
  
“She hit her head on the stairwell, and she hasn’t stopped bleeding,” Loki frantically explained, unbeknownst to him, his hands kept a tight, protective grip on Catherine’s arms.   
  
“Loki, who are these girls?” Hogun questioned him.   
  
The prince ignored Hogun. He couldn’t take his eyes off both sisters. Eir opened the teenager’s eyes and shined a bright light on them to see if her pupils would respond.  
  
“Is she going to be alright?” Catherine asked worriedly.   
  
Eir didn’t answer her question. Instead, she assigned tasks for her assistants, and they obliged to their leader’s request at a fast pace. Fandral wanted to get up to see the girl himself, but one of the healers told him no and blocked his view by shoving a curtain between them.   
  
“Eir, she asked you a question,” Loki pressed.   
  
“Loki, how do you know them? What happened to Thor?!” Sif grasped Loki’s shoulder, demanding attention and knowledge.  
  
She didn’t see Thor around, and that terrified the Goddess of War.   
  
Loki shoved Sif’s hand off him and lets go of Catherine, he stepped closer to Eir, getting angry that she hadn’t answered Catherine’s question, “Eir, she is talking to you! I command you to answer! Is she going to be alright?! Yes or no?!”  
  
Eir huffed and straightened her back, pausing the procedure.   
  
“Eir!”   
  
“Your highness, please!”  
  
In that moment it became too much for Catherine, mentally. She fainted, but luckily, Loki catches her just in time. He scolded himself for overwhelming the girl.   
  
He gently laid her on another table gently, looking worriedly over her. Eir gently pushed him away as she placed a curtain by the table as well.  
  
“Poor thing has experienced too much. She’ll need to rest to let her mind calm down,” Eir explained as she stared at the curtain where Catherine laid behind.   
  
“You have to tell me if she’s going to wake up!” Loki demanded, wanting to stay by the girl’s side.  
  
Instead of answering Loki, Eir ordered one of the healers to escort the warriors and the prince out. As he was getting kicked out of the healing room, Loki continued to repeat his unanswered questions to the clueless healer. She assured the trickster that once they know the answer, he would receive an update.  
  
Loki, Hogun, Volstagg, and Sif exited the room with the healer shutting the door behind them. The prince wasn’t satisfied with the healer’s response.  
  
“When we know, you know – that’s not an answer!” Loki slammed his fist against the door and began to pace frantically.   
  
“Loki!” Sif and the two warriors begged for answers.  
  
They had to chase Loki back and forth so they could face him. Hogun and Sif quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his way. Volstagg grabbed his shoulders from behind to keep him from moving.   
  
“Unhand me!” Loki commanded angrily.   
  
“Loki, I do not understand!” Volstagg cried desperately.  
  
“What happened?! Who are those maidens?”   
  
“And where is Thor?!” Sif demanded, matching Loki’s level of frustration.  
  
Loki glared at Sif with narrowed eyes, “Thor? Is he all you think about?! He’s not dead if that’s what you’re wondering! He is a god, you mewling quim! He cannot die!”   
  
“Loki, calm yourself,” Hogun commanded.   
  
“Calm myself?! Don’t tell me that I am wrong, Hogun. You know I’m right! Gods cannot die, but mortals can!”  
  
Sif and the two warriors widened his eyes at Loki’s statement in disbelief. Mortals? How were those inferior creatures relevant to this case? Unless the girls were…   
  
“What are you saying, Loki?” Sif asked quietly.   
  
“Those girls in there are… mortals?”  
  
“No, they are Frost Giants – _of course_ they are mortals, you stupid woman!” Loki snapped.  
  
“Not possible,” Volstagg whispered, loosening his grip on Loki’s shoulder.  
  
“No mortal has ever come to Asgard-“  
  
“Oh?” Loki stepped away from Volstagg and tensed the fine lines on his face.   
  
“So you think I speak ill? You think that just because I am the God of Mischief and Lies, you must assume-“   
  
“No. No. Of course not! I-I am just saying that’s impossible.”  
  
“Ask my father for he shall utter you the same story.”   
  
Loki was about resume his pacing, but Hogun grabbed hold of him by his cape. Loki whirled his head to face the Asian warrior furiously.  
  
“Loki, you need to sit,” Hogun advised softly.   
  
“I cannot! It’s not fair that Fandral shall be the first to access the blonde girl.”  
  
Most cringed at Loki’s poor choice of words. Volstagg raised his hand to offer the correction, knowing the consequences of committing this offense.   
  
“I don’t think Fandral is the type to-“   
  
“The first to receive an update of their health, you mewling quim,” Loki spat before he pointed at himself and continued his rant.  
  
“I should be there in case she wakes! I found her!”   
  
“You can sit, Loki!” Volstagg insisted.  
  
“Eir is the master of medicine. The girls are in good hands.”   
  
“Yes,” Sif agreed.  
  
“And while we wait for her word, you need to tell us what happened in the dome. Where is Thor? How did those girls get here?”  
  
Loki stayed silent as his friends waited anxiously for a response. Loki knew that Sif was mostly concerned about Thor. How selfishly pathetic of her. Loki debated whether to feel sorry for her or not.   
  
“That’s the thing, Sif… I’ve been wondering the same thing myself.”   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Name?” the nurse asked.  
  
Erik, Darcy, and AJ arrived at the hospital, watching the nurses and doctors roll unconscious Thor away.   
  
“Um…” Erik paused to remember what the man said.  
  
“I think it was… was…”   
  
“Thor!” AJ cried out, getting on his tippy-toes to reach the desk.   
  
The nurse looked over at the desk to see the top half of the boy’s adorable face, then glared at Erik questionably.   
  
The man simply shrugged, “What he said.”   
  
“Okay…” the nurse was typing the name on her computer while spelling it out loud.   
  
“And your relationship to him?”   
  
“There’s no relationship,” Erik replied breathlessly with a sheepish smile.   
  
“Until Brad ran him over,” Darcy mumbled, referring to Garret.  
  
“Weren’t your hands on the wheel?” AJ questioned her.   
  
“So? He was the driver.”   
  
“So? You used a taser on the big guy. A very cool weapon, I might add.”   
  
Darcy smiled at that memory, thinking about how she could take down a big guy like Thor.   
  
“Yes, I did,” she said proudly.  
  
  
  
  
  
“I think we’re getting closer!” Jane cried.   
  
She and Garret had been searching the desert field and rocky hills, finding nothing. They tried to follow the van’s tracks, hoping to see footprints or the mysterious object from the sky, but Catherine and Kelsey were nowhere in sight. It was as if she had vanished. The further they walked to find that fallen star, it seemed that they were nowhere near it.  
  
Where could it be?   
  
“I don’t understand!” Jane cried desperately.   
  
“What?” Garret questioned her.  
  
“I mean, how can Catherine and Kelsey just disappear without a trace? What the hell happened? What did we see?! I know this wasn’t just my imagination…” Jane blinded her friend’s face with the flashing, desperate for some assurance, “right?”

Garret squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head, “I don’t know.”  
  
He shoved the flashlight from his face, “I was driving, so I didn’t see anything… except for that crazy-ass storm and that shooting star.”   
  
“Oh, thank God! So it wasn’t my imagination,” Jane gasped and glared at Garret with fear in her eyes.   
  
“Y-You… You don’t think they got hit by that cloud, do you?”  
  
Garret shrugged helplessly. He didn’t want to crush Jane’s spirit but couldn’t lie to her either. Instead of stating his answer with a simple yes or no, Garret shifted the subject.   
  
“I got a theory.”   
  
Jane shined her flashlight on him, waiting anxiously to hear his theory, “What?”   
  
“Well…” he closed his eyes to avert the blinding light, “we know that they did fall out of the car…”   
  
Jane nodded, hating the suspense. She wanted answers.   
  
The woman was desperate, and she’s willing to hear anything, “Yeah, and?!”  
  
“And the saw that twister coming. Maybe they ran the opposite way we’re going. Maybe they ran back to the lab. It’s been forty-five minutes; they’re probably waiting there, right now.”  
  
Jane thought about his logic that could be accurate. Kelsey was known to run from things, including dogs, whilst Catherine is known for sticking to her family’s side. The problem with that theory was that Kelsey was terrible with directions, she didn’t have the endurance to run, and Catherine does not know everything.  
  
“We must go back and see they’re there,” Garret suggested lightly.  
  
They stopped their tracks to hear a crack below their feet. Jane flashed a light while Garret stepped back. Both were horrified by what they had found.  
  
“Oh my God,” Jane picked up the evidence – two iPhones, one with a cracked screen.  
  
They both knew that Catherine and Kelsey would never go anywhere without their phones. Something happened to them, and it wasn’t good. Garret watched the woman sprint across the desert sand, almost reminding him of a gazelle. Graceful and beautiful. As much as he wanted to stick around and spend some quality time with his crush, finding Catherine and Kelsey was the number one priority. The first step to finding her way was to seek that ‘shooting star’. He shined his flashlight in Jane’s direction and ran after her.   
  
“Wait for me!” Garret cried out.   
  
  
  
  
  
Thor finally came to consciousness, feeling a rubber band uncomfortably tied around his upper arm. He looked up to see a doctor hovering above him.  
  
“Hi,” the doctor greeted with a pleasant grin.   
  
Thor didn’t bother to return the friendliness. He descended his gaze at where the doctor was poking a syringe against his skin. He glared back at the doctor angrily, silently asking what he was doing.  
  
“Just taking a little blood,” the doctor explained.  
  
“How _dare_ you attack the Son of Odin!” Thor roared, yanking his arm out of the doctor’s grip.  
  
The doctor attempted to get him under control, but Thor refused to cooperate. He proved to be much stronger.  
  
“I need some help!” the doctor cried out.  
  
A team of nurses rushed to Thor’s bed, holding him down, only to get shoved and pushed one by one.  
  
“Somebody call security!” the female cried before it was her turn to be handled, far more gently than one guy whose back got slammed against the medicine cabinet.   
  
Thor’s main goal was to escape the room; he was willing every casualty to achieve it. Before he could reach the double doors, two security guards barged inside. They grabbed both his arms and shoved Thor against the door.  
  
“You are no match for the mighty-“ a pinch in the backside cut off Thor’s words.   
  
The sedating medicine immediately kicked in, putting Thor to sleep. His face pressed and slid down the rectangular glass window.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The two warriors and Sif left Loki when they failed to gain answers from him. Loki was still pacing outside the healing room, waiting for news about the young girls, especially the blonde one, his hands folded behind his back. He refused to sleep or sit until he heard something from the healers. He even couldn’t process it. Everything happened so fast. One moment Thor was gone. The next he stared at a young woman with her frightened blue eyes staring straight at him. The mortals shouldn’t be here. Volstagg was right about one thing; no mortal had ever set foot in Asgard.  
  
“Loki,” a sweet voice caught his attention.  
  
He slanted his eyes across to see the Queen of Asgard approaching him.   
  
“Mother,” Loki turned his body to face her properly.  
  
The queen embraced him tightly. Loki could hear her quiet sobs as she hugged him.  
  
“Loki, I was so worried about you!” his mother took Loki’s hands into her own as she exclaimed her concerns.   
  
“Your friends told me what happened in the healing room – saying something about two mortals being here and your missing brother. I wanted them to explain, but they had no idea what is going on. You have refused to tell them.”  
  
Loki shook his head, “Mother, it was never my intention to refuse, you see I too don’t know-“  
  
Frigga gasped, stopping Loki’s sentence. His eyebrows furrowed at her in confusion.  
  
“Mother, is something wrong?”  
  
Frigga didn’t answer. Instead, she covered her mouth and stared wide-eyed in horror but not at Loki’s face. The younger prince followed her gaze to see that she was staring at his hands covered in dry-blood stains, _the brunette girl’s_ blood. His eyes widened as well; his hands started to tremble. He looked up at his mother’s glistening eyes.  
  
“Oh, Loki…” Frigga whispered.   
  
“Oh, Valhalla, what has happened?”   
  
Loki descended back at his shaky, bloody hands. He didn’t answer. He didn’t know how to explain it.  
  
“I… I do not know. I-It all happened so fast. I-I cannot… could not…”  
  
“Loki,” Frigga’s soft voice ended Loki’s stammering.   
  
She reached his freezing, blood-stained hands; her thumbs circled to warm his skin.   
  
“How about we go and get yourself cleaned up? Perhaps a bite to eat,” she suggested quietly but hastily.  
  
“Then maybe you can explain it to me more clearly.”   
  
Loki widened his eyes, shaking his head. He gazed at the large doors where the mortal girls were in.  
  
“M-Mother, I cannot leave! The blonde girl, she-“   
  
“I shall inform the guards to alert us once they receive the word,” Frigga promised.  
  
“First, let’s get you cleaned up, have some food in you, then you may start from the beginning.”   
  
“But what about-“  
  
“Loki Odinson, pacing and worrying will not help,” Frigga said firmly.  
  
“Please, Loki, listen to me.”   
  
Loki wanted to stay and continued his fret, but his mother was right. The healers might work on the brunette girl all night and the blonde one would be asleep for a while; plus, he’d planned to tell his mother what happened in Jotunheim and Thor’s current whereabouts anyway. He looked down at himself and realized that there were drops of blood on his armour. He needed to freshen up.   
  
His eyes returned to Frigga, who knew his answer before he could say it.  
  
“This way, my son,” she locked arms with his son, gently guiding him down the hall.  
  
Loki followed Frigga, but not before he glanced at the double doors over his shoulder, hoping that Eir or a healer would come out with the news. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.   
  
After clean-up and a goblet of wine, Loki informed his mother of the tragic event. How she reacted was anything but pleasant.  
  
  
  
  
  
Odin was staring at the view of the palace from his balcony. He heard a door slam from the bedroom. He didn’t need to turn around to know who had entered the room; he expected her, and just as Loki had said before, she won’t take the news about Thor kindly.   
  
“How could you?!” the queen cried angrily at her husband.   
  
Odin sighed, “I see you have spoken with our other son.”   
  
“It matters not who told me. What of you? How could you have done this?! To Thor – your own son?!”  
  
“Do you understand what he had said in motion?!”  
  
Odin finally faced her, mirroring the same anger as hers, “He’s taking us to the brink of war!”   
  
“But banishment?! You would lose him forever?” she asked with teary eyes.  
  
“What would you have done?”  
  
“I would not have exiled him to a world of mortals! Strip him of his powers and let him suffer alone!”   
  
She shook her head at him in disappointment and heartbreak.   
  
“I would never have the heart to do such a thing.”  
  
“That is why I am king,” Odin hissed.   
  
“I, too, grieve the loss of our son! There is something you and I cannot undo. His fate rests with him now.”   
  
“And yet look at what your decision has brought us! Two mortals, Odin!”   
  
Odin frowned at that the thought of the mortal girls being here.  
  
“How did they enter the Bi-Frost?” Frigga questioned him.  
  
“I do not know!” Odin snapped.  
  
“I do not know of these surprise visitors!” Odin took deep breaths, calming himself.   
  
“Where are they now?” he demanded with disgust.  
  
“They are under Eir’s care,” Frigga stated calmly, folding her arms across her chest.  
  
“Loki has been pacing outside the healing room a long while, just to know how one of them is doing. The poor boy. He could hardly make a sentence without trembling.”   
  
“He should know better than to take those girls to the healing room,” Odin scolded.   
  
“They should be sent back to Midgard with haste.”  
  
Frigga’s mouth hung open, staring at her king in horror, “You wish to send them back with repercussions?!”   
  
“You dare blame me for this mess?! How was I to know they would come here?!” Odin rolled his eyes at his queen’s sentiment for the girls.  
  
“My dear, the mortals’ world has people called doctors. Let them deal with them.”   
  
“You will do no such thing! One of them is injured by your actions. We cannot abandon them now when they are in need!”  
  
“What do you purpose we do, Frigga? Keep them here till the younger one is well?”   
  
As simple as it sounded, that’s precisely what Frigga had in mind. Odin sadly knew it as well.  
  
“Frigga, don’t be ridiculous.”   
  
“They are our responsibility now, _Allfather_ , whether or like it or not,” Frigga stated as she left the bedroom, leaving Odin alone stunned.   
  
  
  
  
  
Loki found Sif and the Warriors Three in their usual spot to chat and play when they were kids. A fire lit in the centre. The healers kicked Fandral out after his treatment without indicating their health. All endured the waiting game, anxious to know Thor’s fate. The silence was too painful too bear.  
  
Hogun perked when the door bang shut and Loki’s boots clicked down the steps.  
  
“Loki,” he called.  
  
Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg turned their heads to face the younger prince.   
  
“Good to see you, my friend,” Volstagg greeted with a smile.  
  
“Any word about the girls?”  
  
Loki shook his head.   
  
Volstagg’s grin fell, “Oh.”   
  
Loki slowly approached them, with his hands folded behind his back and his head held high without giving eye contact.  
  
“I am here to tell you all everything,” he announced.   
  
The warriors’ eyes brightened anxiously.   
  
“You are?” Fandral asked.  
  
His bottom rested uncomfortably on the tiled floor; his back leaned directly on the base of the couch. Instead of wearing his armour, he wore a vest, showing off his hairless chest. His wound had vanished without a trace.  
  
“Yes,” Loki sat down on the couch, a distance apart from Sif, who stared at him with expectancy.  
  
She needed to know the whereabouts of her friend.  
  
“Loki, what is going on?” Sif demanded.   
  
Loki took a deep breath and exhaled shakily before his eyes averted on Sif. The woman took note that Loki was holding back the tears. Loki wasn’t the type to show emotion in front of the group. Something must’ve happened, and it wasn’t good.   
  
What happened to Thor?   
  
“Thor has been banished,” Loki stated.  
  
The warriors were silent at first; their widened eyes and agape jaws showed disbelief. It took a moment for them to process what Loki had said.   
  
Was this a joke?   
  
“What?!” Sif stood upright with her fists clenched to her sides.  
  
This couldn’t be happening. This must be another one of Loki’s tricks. A gag to have them riled up.  
  
“At the dome, there was a heated discussion,” Loki explained.   
  
“Thor has said some things that disapproved Father. Father tried to talk sense into him, but Thor wouldn’t listen as usual. For that, he is now in Midgard. When we all thought that was the end of it, the mortals graced their presence unexpectedly from the Bi-Frost, and…” Loki lowered his head, “you all know the rest.”   
  
Sif’s fire in her eyes doused by the glistening tears. She lowered herself back on the couch and stared at the firelight in silence, listening to the cracks of burning wood, or maybe it was her heart breaking into a million pieces. It didn’t matter. Thor was gone. Sif could never see him again. All she had left of him were their memories together.   
  
“We should have never let him go,” Volstagg stated.  
  
“There was no stopping him,” Sif replied quietly.  
  
“We are all alive still,” Fandral said.   
  
“If his majesty had not shown up…” he trailed off, sparing to state the alternate ending.   
  
Hogun rubbed the burn on Volstagg’s arm with medicinal cream; the burly man jolted by the cold contact.  
  
“How did he even know where we were?” Volstagg asked out loud.  
  
Everyone was silent as the warriors tried to figure out the answer, except one.   
  
“Me,” he stated.   
  
The warriors froze and turned to Loki in shock.   
  
“What?” Hogun asked him.   
  
Loki face Hogun and explained, “Before we left, I alerted a guard and have him tell Odin of what we were doing. He should be flogged for taking so long; we never should have reached Jotunheim.”   
  
“You told?!” Volstagg asked in disbelief.  
  
“I saved our lives!” Loki snapped, standing up from his seat to face Volstagg angrily.  
  
After staring at Volstagg’s shocked gaze for a moment, Loki took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself.   
  
“And Thor’s,” he added gently.   
  
“I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did. How should I know that the mortals would be near the Bi-Frost in the wrong place and time?!”   
  
Sif rose from the couch, the calm façade that she had been trying to rebuild cracked in desperation, “Loki, you must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind!”   
  
“If I do, then what?” Loki wondered.  
  
“I love Thor more dearly than any of you, but you know who he is. He’s arrogant, reckless, and dangerous,” he couldn’t help but allow a hiss to escape his lips with every insult he spoke about his brother.   
  
Unless his friends want to share the same fate as Thor, they must accept the painful truth.   
  
“You saw how he was today! Is that what Asgard needs for its king?!”  
  
Before the conversation could go any further, the door opened, and everyone turned to see a guard entering the room.   
  
“Your highness, Eir the healer is ready for you,” he announced.   
  
Loki quickly followed the guard out of the room, hopeful that Eir had good news regarding the mortals.   
  
The four warriors watched the prince leave until he disappeared behind the double doors. They now have the freedom to speak their minds out of prying ears.  
  
“He may speak the good of Asgard, but he’s always been so jealous of Thor,” Sif stated.  
  
“We should be grateful; he saved our lives,” Volstagg defended the trickster.  
  
“Laufey said…” Hogun began with unease, almost like he didn’t want to believe his own theory, “there were traitors in the House of Odin. A master of magic could bring three Jotuns into Asgard.”  
  
The warriors processed Hogun’s accusation carefully.  
  
Would Loki stoop so low to do such a thing?  
  
They knew he’s a trickster, but this was a whole new level of betrayal even for him.   
  
  
  
  
  
“How are they?” Loki demanded the healers as he entered the room.  
  
“Your highness,” a healer bowed down to Loki with respect.   
  
“How are they?” Loki repeated.   
  
He moved past her to find the girls. He wanted to see them both breathing from his own eyes. Unfortunately, Eir and the curtains behind her blocked his view of the mortals.  
  
“Your highness,” Eir tried to speak to her prince, but he was making it complicated.   
  
He wanted to see them.   
  
Despite his ignorance, Eir took a deep breath before speaking, “We managed to stop the bleeding and seal the wound of the brunette girl. It is a good thing you brought her in when you did; otherwise, she wouldn’t have awakened again.”  
  
“So… She’s alright?” Loki asked, hoping he understood her correctly.   
  
“Yes,” Eir nodded, though there was much more to say.   
  
“We have given her a small dose of anaesthetic to numb the headaches if there is any.”  
  
“Is the blonde girl awake? May I speak with her?”   
  
“She is asleep right now, though I must advise you and the king as well that they must stay here for the time being.”   
  
Loki pinched his brows in confusion, “I thought you said that the brunette girl would be fine.”   
  
“Yes, but the brain is a complicated business, your highness. An injury like hers could bring some nasty effects – both physically and mentally. If she were a god, I would not be worried, but that’s not the case here. A trip back to Midgard could be fatal. I recommend she stays until I know for sure that the worst has indeed passed.”   
  
“How long?”  
  
“I do not know; it depends on her.”  
  
Loki peered behind Eir at the curtain where the blonde girl was kept inside, “Is it alright if I have a moment alone with her? I promise I won’t wake her.”   
  
Eir stared at Loki to see if there was any mischief behind the desperate look on his face.  
  
When she didn’t, the head healer reluctantly nodded, “You may, my prince.”   
  
Loki bowed his head in gratitude, “Thank you.”   
  
Eir and her ladies abandoned the healing tables for his privacy.  
  
Loki took a deep breath before he stepped through the curtain. He inhaled sharply at the sleeping mortal on the table. This brought back some familiarity from all the times his father had to go into a coma-like state – the Odin sleep. It broke the prince’s heart to see his king so helpless and vulnerable when all the times he pridefully reigned supreme. Loki wasn’t used to witnessing those enduring times. Despite what happened, the girl looked peaceful and breathed with ease. She looked still beautiful like earlier.   
  
Chill bumps crept up her skin, raising the mini hairs on her arms and soft legs. She must be cold.   
  
What happened to her vest?   
  
Loki looked around to find some covering to keep the girl warm. He realized the long green cape attached to his armour would have to do. He unattached his cloak and carefully laid it across the girl’s body.  
  
“Here you are,” Loki whispered in satisfaction.   
  
His eyes were back on Catherine’s face, resisting the urge to stroke her cheek.  
  
“I don’t know who you and your sister are, but I promise you that you are both safe here. Knowing my father, he would cast you out as he did to Thor, but I won’t let that happen. You have my word.”


	7. Chapter 6: The Next Morning

Flashing rainbow colours appeared before Catherine’s eyes; all she could hear was swooshing noises and screams. She realized it came from her and her sister. She closed her eyes and formed herself into a small ball, her magic breaking her fall. Catherine felt frightened. Fear was all she could feel; she didn’t want to move, not even wanting to open her eyes.   
  
Then, she heard a beautiful, silky voice. She was so afraid that she whimpered in fear. It was a man who had spoken to her. Catherine saw him sticking out his hand to her.   
  
_**“Are you alright, my dear?”** _  
  
While fear was still within her, Catherine couldn’t deny the man was extremely handsome.   
  
Was he a prince out of a fairy-tale?   
  
As she stared at him, she admired his raven-black hair, his emerald green eyes, and his prince-like attire.   
  
While she was still afraid, something about this man gave her comfort. He spoke to her with kindness, and when she begged him to help her sister he did without a second thought.   
  
He had brought them to some kind of healing room. All Catherine could remember last was fainting and a pair of strong arms catching her.   
  
The last thing she heard him say was, _**“You are both safe here… You have my word.”** _  
  
What did he mean with that?   
  
She was happy though for his kindness. She wanted to say thank you, say actually anything, but she had not the strength to do so.   
  
Catherine’s heart beats faster as she lets out an exhale, slowly coming back to consciousness after her strange dream.   
  
The first thing she felt was dizziness, like she run around in circles for too long. Catherine moved her hand around, touching some kind of thin, silk cover. This wasn’t her bedsheet, and Catherine realized she wasn’t sleeping on a mattress but on a table.   
  
She opened her eyes, and a light shined brightly over her, blinding her. She winced and shielded the sun’s rays with the silk cover. Her small room had blinds to cover the windows; the light shouldn’t be shining so excessively. That’s when Catherine realized that she wasn’t sleeping in her small bedroom.   
  
Where the hell was she? Where was everyone? Was her dream real?   
  
Her first instinct was to do one thing.   
  
Panic.   
  
“Oh dear lo-“   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
On the warm morning of June first, a red truck sped through the desert trail but slowed down when spotting a massive circle on the ground. The driver had been traveling this trail for a long time, and he had never encountered this before.   
  
Curiosity took hold as the man drove to that to check it out. He exited the vehicle and slid down in the crater to investigate. He found something stuck in the centre on a sandy rock. He inspected it as a hammer.   
  
The driver attempted to pull it, using both hands and pushing his boot against the rock; it didn’t work. No matter how hard he tried to pull the hammer out, it refused to budge.   
  
The driver panted for breath, staring at Mjolnir in disbelief.   
  
Why’s the hammer not coming out? How much did it weigh?   
  
The driver huffed in frustration with his hands on his hips, not having clue.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Oh dear!” Catherine quickly jumped off the table, having to hold herself to keep herself from falling out of balance.   
  
She looked down and noticed her casual clothes. The teen knew she didn’t wear this to bed; that’s not what freaked her out. Her fear got worse when she spotted the bloodstains.  
  
Her heart was beating loud; she could feel her magic getting almost out of control. Her breathing quickened. Tears descended from her eyes.  
  
Catherine realized that her dream was actually real. But this wasn’t a hospital. She knew since there should’ve been IV inserted in her arm. Not to mention she should’ve woken up wearing a hospital gown, not bloody clothes.   
  
But where was she then?   
  
She wasn’t in Jane’s rented lab. No. She had to be somewhere probably far from there.   
  
The only question was where?   
  
“Kelsey! Kelsey!” Catherine repeated as she looked around worried.   
  
Where could her sister be? Was she dead?  
  
If that had happened, Catherine would never forgive herself. She would’ve have failed to be the _Mhysa_ of the family.   
  
Trying to walk again, Catherine still felt slightly dizzy. She shuts her eyes and hoped that it would help get the dizziness away.   
  
Catherine opened her eyes again and walked slowly towards the double doors to knock on them.  
  
“Hello! Hello! Can anybody hear me?! Hello?!”  
  
“My lady!” a voice echoed through the room.   
  
Catherine moved away from the door and looked around in confusion.  
  
“Miss!”   
  
She assumed it was a man speaking to her.   
  
“Yes!” Catherine cried.  
  
“Yes, I can hear you! Where are you?!”   
  
“Over here!”  
  
“I can’t see you,” Catherine looked everywhere, but saw still no sign of a man.   
  
“For goodness sakes, child, turn around! I’m on the table!”   
  
Catherine turned around and finally faced the person who the voice belonged to. It was a blonde man who resembled Cary Elwes with a curly moustache and a beard. He was on the table, waiting for Eir to complete his check-up. He didn’t expect the girl to wake, right after her sister had passed out again, but this was what he called ‘perfect timing’. His elbows propped onto the table so he could greet Catherine face-to-face.  
  
“Good day, young lady,” Fandral greeted her with a smile.   
  
Catherine stared silently in confusion, squinting her eyes and pointing at the man in question, “Who are you?”   
  
He lifted his arm to shake the teenager’s hand, “I am Fandral, warrior and protector of Asgard.”   
  
Catherine still kept her stare on him, lowering her hand back to her side, “Excuse me?”   
  
Fandral was taken back, feeling a little self-conscious by her response. No woman had ever resisted his charm, yet this one didn’t even smile at him.   
  
“Can you tell me where we are?” Catherine was starting to panic inside.   
  
“Some kind of mental hospital?”   
  
Again, Fandral was speechless. She’s direct, not desiring to have a pleasant conversation. Although she’s from Midgard and confused, he understood that.   
  
“Um… you’re in the healing room, my dear,” Fandral responded.   
  
“Now, could you tell me your-“  
  
“Healing room?” Catherine questioned him.   
  
Fandral nodded, “Yes, my dear. Now about your na-“   
  
“Where is that?” Catherine wanted all the facts to be sure of everything.  
  
Maybe Kelsey was dead. Perhaps she was because of that in a mental hospital, and the handsome guy was a deluded patient who believed himself as a warrior.  
  
“Is it outside of Puente Antiguo?” Catherine asked worriedly.  
  
“Where is my aunt? Is she here?! And is my sister alive?!”   
  
Fandral was confused by the girl’s questions, but he answered her anyway, knowing her name would have to wait, “Young lady, we’re not in a place you call _Puente Antiguo_. I know nothing of your aunt, but your sister is alive.”  
  
Fear was coursing through her veins; her magic was rushing all through her. She had to put a lot of self-control to keep it at bay.  
  
“Then, where on earth are we?” she asked in a whisper.   
  
“You’re not in the realm you call _Earth_.”  
  
That statement made Catherine freak out. She had no idea how to handle this situation.  
  
“No!” she screamed out.   
  
She was somewhere far from home, and this Robin Hood was telling her the news. No, this could not be real.   
  
“This has to be a dream!”  
  
Fandral widened his eyes and jumped unwillingly by her outburst.   
  
He attempted to calm her, “Maiden, please let me explain-“   
  
“How could this happen?! It is impossible! How can I end up in another realm?!”   
  
The last thing she remembered was the beautiful fairy-tale prince helping her, but where was he when she needed him.   
  
Was she still dreaming? Was she perhaps still at home but unconscious?   
  
This whole ordeal had to have a logical explanation.   
  
“Young lady-“   
  
“You said, ‘I am in another realm’! How is this possible?!” Catherine demanded in panic.   
  
She needed to have answers.  
  
“Please, answer me!” Catherine demanded.   
  
“Madame, please calm down-“   
  
“Calm down?! I just heard I’m in another realm, and you’re telling me to calm down?!”  
  
In that point, she started to cry. She wanted to be with her family, knowing they’re all safe and sound. She wanted to go home.  
  
“Miss, I understand this is all strange, but you have to calm down. Perhaps some rest would help you,” Fandral suggested to her.   
  
Catherine nodded, “But what about my sister?”   
  
Fandral nodded to the table next to him, where a sleeping Kelsey was on.   
  
“T-Thank you,” Catherine softly sniffed.   
  
The man was right, she needed to rest and freaking out wouldn’t help in this situation. The most important thing was that Kelsey was and would be alright.   
  
With that in mind, Catherine laid back down on the table and closed her eyes, sleeping catching back up with her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The heat may be rising outside, but it was freezing inside Smith Motors. Garret and Darcy stayed up half of the night, waiting for Jane and Erik to return with Catherine and Kelsey, but they eventually crashed onto the couches.  
  
Darcy was sleeping on one side, while Garret slept on the other. Even though they were asleep, they were tugging the single blanket back and forth, craving the furry warmth of the quilt. Darcy was a snorer, but Garret was a kicker.  
  
Garret woke up to the loud SpongeBob theme song on TV. He groaned, blinking his eyes open, yawning as he sat up and stretched his arms in the air. His senses perked up, and his stomach growled when the scent of coffee entered his nose. He spotted a familiar doctor brewing himself a cup of coffee. The man sighed happily at the liquid sight.   
  
Garret reached across to tap Darcy awake, only to receive a dismissing slap on the hand. It’s clear that she didn’t want to wake up, but Garret didn’t care. He shared a couch with her; it was awkward enough.  
  
“Darcy!”   
  
Erik jumped in shock and cried in pain when the coffee spilled on his front. His mouth opened wide, letting out silent curses as the dark liquid burned his skin. Darcy jumped wide awake in time to see the doctor suffer. She glared at her couch mate with pursed lips and shook her head in a scolding fashion.  
  
“What did you do?”   
  
“Me?!” Garret was ready to give this woman a piece of his mind, but he side-tracked after seeing Selvig.  
  
He couldn’t help but show the man some compassion.   
  
“Erik, damn! I’m sorry,” Garret tore up a couple of paper towels to wipe the stain off Erik’s shirt.  
  
“Give me that!” Erik snatched the paper towels from Garret to clean himself.  
  
He required another round of aloe from the garden store. He made a mental note to buy two, no telling what could happen tomorrow morning.  
  
“Hey, Erik,” Darcy called for him.   
  
Erik turned around to face the girl, only to get sprayed by cold water, dousing his heated skin. Erik breathed and spat out the water in his mouth, embracing the cold in silence. Darcy released the trigger of the sink’s hose, smiling in satisfaction.  
  
“You alright, man?” Garret asked Erik, roughly patting the man’s shoulder.  
  
Erik glared at the teenager as if he had asked something dumb. He just spilled hot coffee on himself, earning another first or second-degree burn on his skin, and now he’s drenched in cold water. Of course, he’s not alright.   
  
Erik pressed his lips together, holding back a snarky comment, forcing a false smile instead, “Just peachy, Garret. Just peachy.”  
  
He looked at both of them curiously, “What are you two doing up?”

Now it was the young adults’ turn to glare at him as if he asked a stupid question.  
  
“Hello?!” Darcy waved her arms.   
  
“Are Catherine and Kelsey here?”   
  
Erik sighed and lowered his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. Garret and Darcy knew that it wasn’t a good sign.  
  
“Damn it,” Garret cursed quietly.   
  
“How’s Jane doing?”   
  
Erik shook his head, placing his empty coffee mug on the counter, “Not good. We’ve been up all night, speaking with the sheriff.”   
  
His eyes nudged at the work table where Jane had fallen asleep. Erik’s coat covered her back for warmth.  
  
“They are going to check out the area; told us to stay put in case the girls decide to come back.”   
  
“Do what?” Garret pressed.  
  
“You saying that they don’t believe us?”   
  
Whatever happened to Catherine and Kelsey, the storm had something to do with it. Twisters and meteorites could kill someone, but they couldn’t find their bodies to confirm their worst fear. All they had were meaningless words and a madman.  
  
Erik sighed, recalling the same question Jane had asked Sheriff Herandez after giving her testimony.  
  
“He didn’t say that _exactly_ -“  
  
Darcy scoffed, “What did he say, Erik? Did he laugh?”   
  
She rolled her eyes, “How professional of him.”   
  
“No, he just found our story… peculiar, that’s all.”   
  
This shouldn’t surprise the team, for they wouldn’t have believed it either. A twister couldn’t come without warning. According to the news report, this town was to suffer another week of drought. As for the lunatic in the hospital, he was just a bum suffering a heat stroke.  
  
“He said that they’re going to do everything they can, but chances are, they’re looking at Catherine and Kelsey as runaways.”   
  
The young adults groaned in unison. This wasn’t how they wanted their summer vacation to go.   
  
Darcy hated how she had to sacrifice Pina Coladas and beaches just to get enough credits for graduation. Not only was her payless job at stake, but she’s stuck in a desert town with a mystery to solve. She lacked the Nancy Drew qualities. She was a political science major.  
  
What could she do?  
  
Undoubtedly, Jane would oppose the sheriff’s idea to kick back and let the police do the work. If the team investigates the sisters’ disappearance and the ‘subtle aurora’, more work will fall onto Darcy’s shoulders. The intern was positive that Gall Garret wouldn’t mind sharing the burden just to impress Jane.   
  
“Is AJ asleep?” Erik asked.   
  
“He’s been sleeping like a baby,” Darcy responded proudly, gesturing to the RV parked nearby.   
  
She craned her neck to stretch out tense cricks, hating how she had to sleep on the hard couch, “Unlike certain people.”  
  
“Good,” Erik nodded.   
  
“That’s good. With all that’s happening with his sisters, Jane and I agree it’s best just to let him sleep in, just this once.”   
  
“If only you guys could do that for your interns,” Darcy rolled her eyes, stating the words quietly.  
  
“What’s that?” Erik challenged.  
  
“Nothing,” the woman squeaked.   
  
Garret’s growling stomach ended the awkward tension in the air. Everyone skipped out supper last night – all of them should be starving. Darcy and Garret put on their shoes and followed Erik outside to grab a bite to eat at the town’s diner.   
  
  
  
  
  
Thor woke in the hospital with a bright light shining on his face. He realized that everything that had happened wasn’t a dream.   
  
He remembered meeting a few pathetic mortals, and one of them used a weapon against him.   
  
How dare she attack the Son of Odin? How dare the mortals abduct him?   
  
They all needed to be severely punished.   
  
Thor tried to get up but couldn’t move. He looked down to see his wrists and legs restrained against the hospital bed. Without his super godly strength, Thor couldn’t break through his imprisonment. He growled frustration.  
  
“Impossible,” Thor muttered.  
  
  
  
  
  
Jane’s awakened eyes contained baggy, dark circles around them. She remembered being up all night searching the desert and talking with the police, but somehow she fell asleep on the worktable. Maybe Erik had something to do with that. There was no time to sleep and eat. Her nieces were missing, and it’s all Jane’s fault. She vowed to remain restless until Catherine and Kelsey were found, regardless of what Sheriff Herandez said about them running away.  
  
Jane returned to her computer and notes, trying to figure out the storm from last night. She figured the event had a connection with Catherine and Kelsey’s disappearance and the shooting star.  
  
But what was Jane missing, other than her nieces? What wasn’t Jane seeing?   
  
She continued analysing the photos and didn’t notice faint footsteps coming her way.   
  
“Jane,” the voice of a tired little boy caught Jane’s attention.   
  
She looked over her shoulder to see her nephew, who looked like he’d just woken up. As much as Jane wanted to continue working, she still had another child to take care of. She turned her chair around to face the boy in his Batman pyjamas.   
  
“Hey there, AJ,” Jane greeted him with a forced smile.  
  
“Did I wake you?”   
  
AJ shook his head and yawned unwillingly, “Did you find Catherine and Kelsey?”   
  
Jane’s smile fell, and tears welled up in her eyes. She blinked them away and shook her head, forcing herself not to cry. Jane was a grown woman. She needed to be strong for her nephew.   
  
“No,” Jane answered sadly.  
  
“I didn’t.”   
  
AJ’s head lowered, “Oh.”  
  
“I know this is hard, but I promise you I’ll do everything I can – no matter the cost – to find them.”   
  
“I know…” AJ looked over at Jane’s desk to see pictures of the night sky and the storm.   
  
“Can I help?”   
  
Jane looked between AJ and the footage.  
  
“Um…” she paused for a moment, then spoke with hesitation.  
  
“Yes… You can help by staying here… close to me. It’s bad enough to lose two children. I don’t want to find three.”   
  
“I’m serious, Jane!” AJ squealed.   
  
“Can I help you look for something – something that you might’ve missed?”  
  
“I appreciate that, but I don’t want you to mess or-or touch anything.”   
  
AJ sighed, hating that he wasn’t allowed to do something only grown-ups could do. Then, he remembered something that could help Jane. He went back inside the RV to get it while Jane was zooming an image of the twister.  
  
A few moments later, AJ returned with a digital camera in his hands.   
  
“Jane?”  
  
Jane sighed, “Hold on, AJ. Give me a minute.”  
  
“But Jane, this is important!” AJ insisted.  
  
“I said hold on, AJ. I need to focus on this,” Jane said in a motherly-warning tone.  
  
AJ was pushing her buttons. The last thing she wanted was to be interrupted.   
  
“But Jane-“   
  
“AJ!” Jane snapped.  
  
“Not right now. Why don’t you go play your Nintendo or something?”  
  
“Jane, listen to me!” AJ waved his camera in the air like a flag, hoping that it gained Jane’s attention.  
  
“It’s about last night! You should see this! It’s important!”   
  
Jane sighed in irritation, looking at AJ’s way for a moment, before giving the camera a second glance with interest. Her eyebrows furrowed as she took the camera from AJ. He had taken a picture of a circular pattern on the desert ground.  
  
“What is this?” she asked in a breathless whisper.   
  
“Where did you find this? Online?”   
  
“No,” AJ shook his head, “from last night. While you guys were paying attention to Thor, I found that. I managed to get a picture of it. Is it normal for twisters to leave a mark like that?”  
  
“AJ, do you realize what this means?”   
  
The boy shrugged, silently shaking his head. Jane returned her attention to her computer and clicked on the image of the twister.  
  
“It means… that this storm right here,” she pointed at the photo, “isn’t a normal twister at all. It’s not even a magnetic storm… This is different.”   
  
AJ still didn’t understand, but he was glad that he’d done something to help Jane. He hoped that they’re one step closer to finding his sisters.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Heimdall was staring into the cosmos. His hands were resting on the handle of his key blade, not moving a muscle. He didn’t have to turn around to know who was coming in the dome. He didn’t have to read the visitor’s mind to understand what he’s doing here.  
  
“Anything informative about those girls?” the prince demanded.   
  
“I knew that you would come here to ask me that question,” Heimdall retorted, not looking away from the starry cosmos.  
  
“Are you to ask of your brother as well?”   
  
“Are you to answer my question?” Loki retorted with a bitter attitude.   
  
The gatekeeper was trying his patience.  
  
Heimdall was silent until he turned away to face the emotionless prince.   
  
“The brunette girl is called Kelsey of Midgard. The blonde girl is named Catherine of Midgard. They were staying in a village called Puente Antiguo.”   
  
Loki stared up at Heimdall, memorizing the information he was given.  
  
“The Bi-Frost transported Thor to that place, currently under the care of doctors. The girls’ companions escorted him there. All are worried about the girls’ whereabouts.”   
  
“Yes, I am sure they are anxious, but I am afraid the girls are not permitted to leave anytime soon.”

“You could at least acknowledge the girls are safe,” Heimdall suggested.   
  
“Maybe you can offer Thor support, despite his banishment-“   
  
Loki scoffed, “Boosting my brother’s ego is the last thing I do. If that is all you have to share, Heimdall, I shall be on my way.”  
  
For that, Loki turned away from the Gatekeeper.  
  
“I am surprised you have not visited the blonde woman again.”   
  
Loki halted and faced the guardian again, “You have the gift to see everything, do you not?”  
  
“Yes, your highness.”   
  
“Then you should know that I have already faced the girl. She is sleeping peacefully.”   
  
“Not anymore,” Heimdall stated.   
  
Loki tensed his facial muscles, wrinkling his smooth skin.  
  
“I beg your pardon?” the prince asked.   
  
“The girl… she has awakened. Though, I must warn you. She is very afraid and…” Heimdall didn’t finish his sentence, knowing that Loki had already left the dome.  
  
Heimdall fulfilled his purpose by providing information to Loki. He cleared his throat and returned to his duties as Gatekeeper.   
  
  
  
  
  
Catherine breathed deeply in exhaustion. She couldn’t get over the weird dream she had. She thought she and Kelsey had ended up in another realm.   
  
She was glad though that both of them are alive. The seventeen-year-old had still so much to live for. She expected to wake up in her bed with the smell of breakfast.  
  
Catherine opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times, knowing right away that she wasn’t in her room and couldn’t smell breakfast. She was in a royal bedroom that contained the colours of blue and gold.   
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the muffled voices of women. She turned her head to find two women across the room. Both dressed like they were in a renaissance, just like Fandral. One of them was covered in sparkling gems and jewellery fit for a queen.   
  
This couldn’t be real. Maybe the man was right; they weren’t on earth anymore. Perhaps they were in a mental institution. Catherine must’ve accidently showed her magic and had been sent here to lock her up and give her a treatment.   
  
The queen noticed the girl’s wake, approaching the girl with a smile. She didn’t take offense when Catherine was frightfully scooting back against the headboard. The girl’s eyes shifted between Frigga and her servant silently; obvious questions soured through her mind. The queen was happy to answer one of them in greeting.   
  
“Welcome to Asgard.”


	8. Chapter 7: Mistakes And Accidents

Catherine was still very much frightened. All she knew right now was the she and her sister weren’t home anymore. They weren’t on earth.   
  
She looked apologetic to the woman. She knew that she didn’t mean any harm, and yet Catherine is cowering in fear, because she was in a place that she didn’t know.   
  
“I-I’m sorry, this is all just new for me,” Catherine apologized quietly.  
  
Frigga smiled, “It’s alright, child. I understand. You have been through a tough ordeal.”   
  
“So am I really in another realm?” Catherine asked, sadly.   
  
“Is my sister dead?”  
  
The older women were taken back by Catherine’s question. The Queen was silent. Eir, the head healer, however, bursts into laughter.   
  
Catherine and Frigga frowned at Eir’s outburst for different reasons.  
  
“Madam, I don’t think my sister being dead is a hilarious matter,” Catherine glared with fury.  
  
Eir continued laughing until she noticed a stern look from Frigga. Her laughter died down, softening the wrinkles around her mouth.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Eir apologized, regaining her composure.   
  
“You need to understand, child,” Frigga kneeled next to Catherine, placing a hand over hers in comfort.  
  
“Your sister is not dead and you two are not prisoners.”   
  
Catherine furrowed her brows in confusion, “W-What?”   
  
“It’s a long story, but know that you both are safe, your sister is healed, and lucky.”  
  
“I’m sorry, I don’t get it.”  
  
“Your sister had a concussion,” Eir explained.   
  
“When she had hit her head, she lost a lot of blood.”   
  
“What?!” Catherine widened her eyes as she placed her hands in front of her mouth.   
  
“S-She lost a lot of blood?! How did that happen?!”   
  
“My dear child,” Frigga tried to soothe her with a calm, motherly voice.  
  
“You must tell us what happened to you.”   
  
Taking a deep breath, Catherine explained to them everything that had happened. After that, she asked if Kelsey had told them the same. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.  
  
“She doesn’t remember. But that is alright. It’s one of the natural symptoms of a concussion. Memory loss is temporary for some patients. Hopefully, her memory of that night will come back in due time,” Eir explained.  
  
“So she doesn’t remember?” Catherine realized that she’d just asked a stupid question.  
  
If she did remember, the woman dressed in gold and jewels wouldn’t have asked Catherine what happened to them.  
  
The queen shook her head, “No, I am afraid she does not. Right now, we are thankful to spare her mortal self from death.”  
  
Mortal?   
  
Catherine questioned the older woman’s words. If her sister was called a mortal, then these people weren’t human.   
  
“So… If we’re not in a mental hospital… where exactly are we?” Catherine asked curiously.   
  
“My dear child, you and your sister are in another realm,” Frigga explained, caressing Catherine’s hand.   
  
“Very different than yours in Midgard.”   
  
Midgard?   
  
“Welcome to our home in Asgard.”  
  
Catherine couldn’t let the words sink in; she refused to believe the impossible, “No.”   
  
Frigga and Eir jumped slightly, not expecting the girl’s outburst.  
  
“No way. No,” Catherine pulled off the covers to get off the bed.   
  
She needed to see the truth for herself.  
  
“There’s no way I’m stuck in a myth. It’s impossible!”  
  
“Child, it’s alright,” Frigga said softly, gripping her hand more firmly to keep her from leaving.  
  
“Young lady, you shouldn’t stress out,” Eir advised the panicked girl.  
  
“You’ve had an eventful night and your mind is still progressing it.”

“I can’t calm down!” Catherine snapped, feeling sparks through her whole body.  
  
“I woke up thinking I was in a mental hospital! Now you are telling me I’m in another universe! How can I stay calm? _Please_! Let me go!”  
  
Catherine swung her wrist out of Frigga’s grasp and ran outside to the balcony. She froze at the view before her – the starry cosmos that’s double in size mixed with sunlight, plains, and the rainbow bridge across the ocean. She would’ve been embracing the beautiful scenery if the circumstances were different. The sound of waves chilled her tanned skin. She was panting and rubbing her hands rapidly. Her glowing hands didn’t help either.  
  
“Oh, God!” Catherine placed her hands closely to her, trying to hide the glow.  
  
“I don’t feel so good,” she half-lied, rushing back inside the bedroom, while asking for the nearest bathroom.   
  
Eir nodded frantically, “Yes.”   
  
She pointed at the open door behind Frigga, “Right through there!”  
  
Catherine quickly murmured a ‘thank you’ and closed the door behind her, before she placed her now brightly glowing hands in a bowl of water.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You don’t think it was just another magnetic storm, do you?” Dr. Selvig asked Jane.   
  
When Erik, Darcy, and Garret came back from the diner, AJ and Jane explained what they had discovered.   
  
“Look at this,” AJ showed a picture of the design circular pattern on the ground.   
  
Erik narrowed his eyes at the photo with uncertainty.  
  
“What is this, AJ?”  
  
“The twister’s mark, last night. But Jane said it’s no tornado at all. It’s much more than that. I mean, think about it. Have you ever seen pictures of a twister leaving a design pattern behind? I sure don’t!”  
  
“Unless it’s hidden underneath the disasters they cause,” Darcy grumbled.   
  
Erik sighed, knowing that the boy had a point, not bad for a seven-year-old, “Okay, I can see that’s pretty strange. But if it’s not a common storm, what is it then?”  
  
“Look,” Jane scanned through her computer to show a star chart, “the lensing around these edges is characteristic of an-“   
  
“Einstein-Rosen Bridge,” both Erik and Jane finished in unison.   
  
“A what?” Darcy asked, not having a clue to what Jane and Erik were talking about.  
  
“I thought you were a science major?” Dr. Selvig asked Darcy.   
  
“Political science,” Darcy corrected him.  
  
“Is there a difference?” AJ wondered.  
  
“Duh!” Darcy stuck her tongue out as she uttered the sound.   
  
Erik looked at Jane sharply with an obvious question in mind.  
  
How did the girl get the internship?   
  
“She was the only applicant,” Jane explained to Erik.  
  
“Hey, Jane,” Garret raised his hand.  
  
“Can I apply for this internship?”   
  
Darcy frowned at the teenager’s question. She didn’t want Garret to work here. Dealing with him as a neighbour was terrible enough, but dealing with him as a co-worker could never work out. The boy lacked professionalism.   
  
“Sure, Garret,” Jane replied casually without taking her eyes off the computer, “when you’re in college.”  
  
Garret turned around and mouthed his silent cheer, ‘ _Yes!_ ’. He may not be Jane’s intern now, but he will be someday.  
  
“Uh, hello?” Darcy waved for the scientists’ attention.  
  
“The Albert Einstein-Roses Bridge – what is it?”   
  
“An Einstein- _Rosen_ Bridge,” Erik corrected her.  
  
“It’s a theoretical connection between two different points of space-time.”   
  
The young adults stared at Erik with a blank expression, not knowing what he’s talking about.   
  
“Huh?” the students asked in unison.   
  
Erik huffed, believing that he’s talking to pre-schoolers.  
  
“It’s a wormhole,” Jane further explained.  
  
The students made an ‘ah’ face and nodded their heads with understanding.   
  
“Is a wormhole suppose to be a shortcut for long journeys across the universe?” AJ asked.   
  
Everyone glared at the boy, wholly astonished yet amazed.  
  
Jane slowly nodded, “Yes, AJ.”   
  
Her lips curled into a proud smile, the first time she’d done that since Catherine and Kelsey went missing.   
  
“That’s exactly right. How did you know?”   
  
AJ shrugged, “TV.”  
  
“But I was the one who explained it,” Erik pointed out.  
  
“Yeah, but AJ’s definition is more simple and easy to understand,” Darcy retorted.  
  
“Very impressive for a dyslexic.”   
  
Erik rolled his eyes at her remark. Jane picked up the printed photocopy of the constellations and showed it to Dr. Selvig.   
  
“Erik, look. What do you see?” Jane asked him.   
  
Garret and Darcy looked over Erik’s shoulders to see the picture.  
  
“Stars,” Garret answered, feeling like he’s back in kindergarten.   
  
“Yes, but not _our_ stars,” Jane said before spreading the chart onto the table.  
  
“See? This is the star alignment for our quadrant this time of the year. So unless Ursa Minor decided to dive into our backyard… these are someone else’s constellations.”  
  
“So… If it’s not our stars, then who do the stars belong to?” Darcy asked.   
  
“Did baby bear really take a dive from his momma’s nest last night?” Garret raised his hand to ask.   
  
AJ couldn’t see the chart for the adults were blocking the view, but he spotted a stack of pictures on the bulletin board. He couldn’t help but ignore Jane’s rule not to touch anything. Curiosity was in his nature. He could barely hear Jane talk as he was looking at each photo in concentration. His mind quickly clicked back to one that held interest; his eyebrows furrowed questionably.   
  
“Huh?” AJ’s eyes squinted, trying to make out what it was.   
  
He gasped and cried out when he recognized on two of three figures in the pictures, “Catherine and Kelsey!”   
  
Everyone’s eyes pulled away from the star chart and onto AJ, who was unpinning the photo from the bulletin board.  
  
“AJ!” Jane reached for the image in frustration, “what are you doing?! I told you, you can’t-“   
  
“Jane, look at this!” AJ commanded, holding it up so she could see.  
  
“I told you not to touch any…” Jane glared at the photo for a moment, but stopped talking and quickly looked back at it with a new-found interest.  
  
“What the hell?” Jane asked out loud.  
  
“Umm!” AJ covered his mouth and stared at his aunt in shock.  
  
“You said the H word!” Darcy snickered with amusement.  
  
Jane always called Darcy out when she was swearing in front of the kid, but now the astrophysicist broke her own rule.  
  
Jane ignored AJ as she shared the picture with the others, “Guys, do you see this?!”  
  
Erik, Garret, and Darcy leaned forward to get a better look. The picture showed what’s inside the funnel cloud – three flying figures – humans, to be exact. They’re all familiar. One was the crazy dude currently sedated at the hospital, and the others were two certain teenage girls.  
  
“No, it can’t be!” Dr. Selvig breathed out in shock.   
  
“How did Catherine and Kelsey get in there?” Darcy asked.   
  
“I got a theory!” Garret cried out.  
  
Darcy groaned, “This should be good.”  
  
“What, Garret?” Jane asked, upset from the fact that Catherine and Kelsey were inside the wormhole, probably dead.  
  
“Think about it, guys!”  
  
Garret gestured to the digital camera and the photos, “The design patterns, shooting stars, the crazy man, the twister that sucked both him, Catherine, and Kelsey into space – It could only mean one thing!”   
  
“And what is that?” Erik asked, tiredly.  
  
“Catherine and Kelsey had been abducted… by aliens!” Garret stated with shock and fear.  
  
The others glared at him as if he had said something stupid except for AJ, who raised his brows in interest. Garret’s theory was possible, but there’s no evidence siding that aliens exist, as far as they knew.  
  
“Don’t be stupid, Brad!” Darcy cried out in disgust.   
  
“Aliens?! There’s no such thing!”  
  
She glared at Jane and Erik questionably, “Is there?”   
  
Neither scientist answered Darcy’s question or respond to Garret’s theory. Instead, Jane rushed to the van with a mission in mind.   
  
“I think we left something at the hospital,” Jane stated.  
  
“What?” Garret cried out in fear.  
  
“You mean we have to go back to the lunatic who almost killed me?!”  
  
“Dude, don’t be extra,” Darcy rolled her eyes as she sauntered past him.  
  
“He didn’t almost kill you, not even close.”   
  
“Yeah,” AJ agreed.  
  
“All he did was squeeze you tight, while you screamed like a little girl.”   
  
Darcy laughed at the boy’s interpretation of the story as the team climbed inside the van. The black boy stood there pouting, not appreciating the hurtful words one bit.  
  
“I don’t scream like a girl!” Garret argued.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After calming her magic down, Catherine returned to the bed, resting her head on a blue, decorative pillow. She felt much better when her magic had returned to its calm level. She agreed to hear the ladies out and listened this time. Catherine needed to stay calm. Otherwise, her magic will spike up again or worse, it will go out of control.   
  
They told her that she was definitely in Asgard, which Catherine didn’t believe at first because she had learned that Asgard was just a myth. However, the evidence told her otherwise: the way the ladies dress, the walls made our of gold, the view. Catherine wanted to deny it all and argue, but she knew it was no use.  
  
“So, um… can we go back home?” Catherine asked.  
  
The elderly ladies looked at each other, before glaring at Catherine with melancholy. The teen knew the pity look all too well; she was not happy.  
  
“We’re not going home, are we?” Catherine assumed.   
  
_“Great! Not only is my sister injured, but we’re both captive in a mythical kingdom!”_  
  
“You will,” Frigga resuming the soothing, motherly touch on Catherine’s hand.   
  
“But because of your sister’s injury,” Eir explained further, “we can’t risk her getting hurt inside the Bi-Frost.”   
  
Catherine nodded and sighed, knowing that they were right.  
  
“How long?” she asked.  
  
Eir sighed heavily in dismay, “I believe you two will be here for two weeks.”   
  
“Two weeks?!” Catherine cried.  
  
“Don’t worry, child,” Frigga comforted her.   
  
“I’ll see to it that your stay is here is comfortable.”  
  
Catherine breathed out, silently sealing the deal by accepting her offered hand. The queen was indeed a kind woman.  
  
“Until your sister recovers, these rooms are yours.”  
  
“These are my rooms?” Catherine asked, gesturing to the large space.   
  
Frigga nodded with a small smile, “Yes.”   
  
“But are you sure you don’t mind me stay? I don’t want to impose.”   
  
“No need to fear, child,” the queen spoke as her eyes glistened, forcing a smile that said, _she’s fine_.  
  
“Thor will be away for a while. I’m sure that if he were here, he would be happy to meet you.”  
  
“Really? Are you sure? I’m sure this kingdom has loads empty bedrooms for me to sleep – Whoa, wait a minute! Did you say _‘Thor’_?” Catherine questioned, making sure she heard the queen right.

“That’s your son’s name?”  
  
The queen nodded, “Mm-hm.”   
  
“That means you’re that goddess. Um,” Catherine pointed at her, trying to remember the name.  
  
“What’s your name? Um… Frigga, Goddess of Love, Marriage, and Motherhood, right?”   
  
Frigga smiled a little more. Eir’s jaw had almost dropped, impressed by the girl’s knowledge. Catherine noticed the look Frigga gave her.  
  
Did she get the titles wrong?   
  
She could’ve sworn that those were the three things that Frigga was the goddess of. She remembered studying the Norse gods and goddesses’ names with her grandfather when she was an eight-year-old.   
  
“Actually, Child, I’m also Queen of Asgard.”   
  
Catherine widened her eyes, and her jaw almost hit the floor.  
  
How could she be so stupid to forget that Frigga was also the queen of this kingdom?   
  
“Oh my gosh!” Catherine instantly lowered her upper body while her legs rested on the bed.  
  
“Please excuse me! I am so sorry! Where are my manners?! I didn’t mean to offend you, your majesty! My name is Catherine, by the way. I’m sorry that I forgot your title, your majesty!”   
  
Being apologetic certainly made Frigga smile even more.   
  
She nodded in understanding, patting the girl’s hand, “It is alright, Catherine. I am not offended.”   
  
“You should be. It was a dumb mistake and-“  
  
“You are right. It was just a mistake. That is all. No harm done.”  
  
Eir sighed with relief and clasped her hands, grabbing the queen and Catherine’s attention.   
  
“Well, you are looking much better, dear child. I believe my work here for today is done. Come by the healing room if you feel not well or if you are escorting your sister. I do wish for your sister’s speedy recovering, my lady.”   
  
“Me too,” Catherine agreed.   
  
“If there’s anything else, I could do?” Eir offered.  
  
“I am a little hungry,” Catherine told half of the truth; she was actually famished.  
  
She didn’t even have supper last night.   
  
“I shall ask the kitchen to prepare your meal immediately,” Frigga stood on her feet.   
  
“Once you are finished, I would like for you to dress in Asgard’s attire. I mean no offense, but your clothes are rather…” Frigga stopped talking, trying to think of a kind word for Catherine’s mortal rags.   
  
“Bloody? Dirty?” Catherine suggested as she looked down at her clothes.   
  
Frigga nodded, refusing to utter an insult.   
  
Catherine took in the queen and Eir’s clothes; they’re both wearing dresses. Catherine loved dresses and skirts, it made her feel beautiful. She was a little sad that her world was living in the 21st century. She couldn’t get dressed in corsets and stockings. Here in Asgard, they looked to be in Persia B.C. Catherine was happy to do what the queen required.   
  
Catherine accepted the offer by saying, “I appreciate that. Thank you.”   
  
“A maid will bring you the essentials. In the meantime, you can stay and look around the room a little bit if you’re up to it.”   
  
“Yes, ma’am.”  
  
“It is very nice to meet you, Catherine. Our paths will cross again, I assure you,” Frigga bowed her head towards Catherine as she and Eir exited the chambers.   
  
The teen took the time to process her thoughts without strain, but the task proved to be slightly tiresome. She sighed, laying back on the heavenly mattress and pillows underneath her.  
  
Catherine couldn’t believe this. Yesterday she slept on her hard mattress in her small bedroom; now, she was in a fable palace of Asgard. She was tempted to pinch herself, making sure that this wasn’t a dream. In truth, she’d always daydreamed of adventure, but the fact that her dream was becoming a reality both excited and scared her.   
  
Once she had collected her thoughts, Catherine found the urge to get out of bed to reseek the view outside. The girl felt the morning breeze and the sun’s heat on her face as she gripped the railing of the balcony. The description of this place was beyond what her books could interpret. This was her fantasy world. This was Catherine’s vacation – a reprieve for her and her sister. No more stress, family drama, nor her past. Catherine was thankful for this blessing.   
  
  
  
  
  
Frigga and Eir had gone their separate ways. The queen planned to find a maid to inform her about Catherine’s required arrangements until a voice ceased her tracks.   
  
“Mother!”   
  
Frigga found her younger son hurrying right behind her frantically. He expressed concern as he should be.   
  
“Loki,” she greeted him with a loving smile as if nothing was wrong, “my son. I trust you’ve slept well.”  
  
“Where is she?” Loki demanded, skipping the small talk.   
  
Frigga furrowed her brows, taken back at his directness, “I beg your pardon?”  
  
“Catherine, the mortal girl, where is she? I find her no longer in the healing room.”  
  
“Of course not. She rests in the guest chambers in the East Wing.”  
  
Loki blinked in disbelief, “In the East Wing?”   
  
Why in the world would Frigga put Catherine there of all places?  
  
“Yes,” she confirmed.  
  
Loki was about to turn away from his mother to head straight in that direction, but Frigga’s gripping hand on his forearm stopped him.   
  
“Loki, you must not disturb her,” Frigga warned.  
  
“Why ever not, Mother?” Loki challenged.   
  
“She is awake, is she not?”   
  
“Yes, but I advise you to give the girl some space for now. She had a rough night, and not to mention this morning when I spoke with her.”  
  
“You spoke with her? How is she?”   
  
“Fine for now. I was about to summon a maid to tend the girl’s needs – food, clothing-“   
  
“I can do that, Mother,” Loki offered.   
  
“No, you will not.”   
  
Loki was taken back by his mother’s refusal, “What?”  
  
“No, you will not,” his mother repeated.  
  
“You, my son, are going to the dining hall and eat breakfast.”  
  
Loki let out a breathy laugh as if this was a joke, “I assure you, Mother, I am fine. I will eat once I order-“   
  
“You don’t have to hide from me, Loki. I can tell that you are famished, you had hardly eaten the food from last night. I think a full stomach is what you need at the moment.”  
  
“I need to see her,” he pressed in gritted teeth.   
  
The politeness in his tone was slowly fading.   
  
“And you shall,” she promised.  
  
“When?!” Loki snapped angrily.  
  
“I brought her and her sister to the healing room; I saved her sister life and comforted her! I should have the honour of meeting her, not Fandral of all people! You know how this means to me, Mother! How could you keep her from me as well?! That is not fair!”  
  
“Loki,” Frigga warned, her stern, disapproving eyes reminded him who he’s speaking to.  
  
The prince relaxed the tension in his muscles and dropped the snarl on his face, immediately regretting his outburst, “Forgive me, Mother. You do not deserve to bear my frustration.”   
  
Frigga caressed her son’s hand to assure him that all was forgiven, “I understand, son. You care for the girl as do I.”  
  
“When can I see for myself that she is alright?” Loki pleaded.   
  
“After breakfast,” Frigga promised.   
  
“You must eat. We have all endured a restless ordeal, with your brother banished and-“  
  
“Say no more, Mother,” Loki sighed in defeat, briefly closing his eyes.  
  
“I’ll eat.”   
  
Frigga smiled, cupping her son’s cheeks, “Good. I shall meet you and your father in the dining hall after my tasks.”  
  
For that, they had gone in their separate ways. Frigga hoped that Loki would listen to her this time and not stray. However, that was wishful thinking. She knew her son. Catching the mischievous gleam in his eye and the twitch in the corner of his lips, Loki had a trick up his sleeve. He wasn’t called the God of Mischief for nothing. Frigga didn’t know whether to scold or to be proud. He was his mother’s son, after all.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The team arrived at the County Hospital. According to the nurse behind the counter, they must find Room #83 to see Thor. Erik looked over his shoulder at the sight of the police and doctors conducting an investigation.  
  
What could they possibly be talking about? What happened that required the police?  
  
Erik didn’t miss the mess through a window. He had a bad feeling about this. Thankfully, AJ remained in his car seat with Garret as his guardian. All hurried into Thor’s room, only to find unfastened straps on an empty bed. The patient slipped through the cracks and escaped.  
  
“Oh, my God,” Darcy uttered.  
  
They all rushed back to the van, nearly scaring Garret to death as they pried the doors open. The team rushed inside and closed the doors behind them with a heavy slam.   
  
Garret regained his composure and exhaled with relief when Jane was sitting in the passenger seat next to him, while Erik and Darcy climbed in the back with AJ in between them.  
  
“Did you find him?”   
  
Nobody missed the excitement in the boy’s voice as he scanned around for the cool, muscle man. Meanwhile, the black teen silently prayed the opposite.  
  
“I just lost my most important piece of evidence!” Jane angrily stated.   
  
“Typical.”   
  
She wetted her chapped lips, noting that her mouth was dry from the extensive running in the hospital without water.   
  
Garret couldn’t help but look up the roof, thanking the Good Lord for lending a hand today.   
  
“Aww, man! I really wanted to meet him,” AJ pouted, folding his arms across his chest.  
  
“So, now what?” asked Darcy.   
  
“We find him!” Jane breathed with determination, despite the lack of hydration.   
  
Garret glared at his dream girl as if she was insane, “You’re kidding, right.”  
  
“Did you see what he did in there?” Erik asked Jane worriedly.  
  
“And the way he threatened _me_ last night?!” Garret added, rubbing his biceps at that horrible memory.  
  
“I can still feel the bruises.”  
  
“Those are bruises?” Darcy snorted in between laughs, pushing the glasses up her nose.   
  
“I thought you were sampling your mother’s eyeshadow.”  
  
Garret showed he wasn’t amused, though he self-consciously concealed his arms before Darcy could test her theory.  
  
“I don’t think finding him is the best idea,” Erik suggested.  
  
“Well, our data can’t tell us what it was like to be inside that event, but he can,” Jane argued.   
  
“He is the key to my research and finding Catherine and Kelsey. So, we’re going to find him, and that’s that. Garret, start the car.”   
  
Garret wished he didn’t tag along, but Jane was a siren, the kind he couldn’t resist. He obliged with a groan, turning the key into the ignition.  
  
“Yes!” AJ pumped his fists excitedly.  
  
Darcy sighed as she pulled out her taser to analyse it.  
  
AJ noticed, reaching his arm out to test the zapping weapon, “Darcy, can I-“  
  
“Nope,” Darcy cut him off, shielding the cute, puppy-look on his face.  
  
It’s not going to work on her.   
  
“Puh-lease!” he begged, flashing his baby teeth.   
  
“I promise I won’t-“   
  
“No.”  
  
“Jane,” the boy tattled.  
  
“Darcy won’t let me play with her taser!”  
  
The Culver student rolled her eyes, she couldn’t help but laugh at AJ’s childish tantrum. He seemed like the type to be spoiled by his parents and maybe get away with murder by those doggie eyes of his. A part of Darcy was glad to be the only child.   
  
“Darcy, give him your phone,” Jane instructed without thinking.  
  
Darcy squinted her eyes at Jane’s reflection through the rear-view mirror in confusion. It showed that Jane hadn’t slept well.   
  
Did she hear what the boy wanted?  
  
“Jane, he doesn’t want my phone!” the intern argued.   
  
“I don’t care. Give him your phone, so he’ll shut up.”   
  
A set of curses passed through Darcy’s mind as she handed her device over to the spoiled child. No doubt he’s going to download many game apps to satisfy his boredom. He would try considering the lack of wi-fi on her phone and his poor spelling grade. Darcy didn’t miss the snickers coming from the driver, clearly, he was enjoying this. She lifted her hand, about to offer Garret a simple gesture that’s just as hurtful as name-calling, but Erik enclosed her fingers before she could whip it out.   
  
“So, we’re gonna look all over New Mexico, right?” Dr. Selvig assumed, flashing a knowing smirk at Jane.  
  
“Exactly,” Jane replied.  
  
She turned to Garret, asking him what he was waiting for.   
  
The black teen sighed, shifting the gear in reverse. He looked over his shoulder as he slowly backed out of the parking space. Once he had enough space to drive, he shifted the gear and turned, slightly hitting the gas pedal. He didn’t realize that a man was walking in front of the van until it was too late. The bang perked everyone’s attention. They screamed at the crazy man’s face that pressed against the window. Garret didn’t have the common sense to stop the car. Instead, he floored the gas pedal.   
  
Everyone was now freaking out about the fact that they had hit the man again. His body was blocking their view of the road. Garret was driving too fast, risking another car accident if he didn’t stop. They could hear a set of honks around them.  
  
“Holy shit!” Darcy cried out.   
  
“Found him!” AJ smiled as he dropped Darcy’s phone.   
  
Forget Angry Birds. His reality was like riding Disney World’s Fast Track, even though he wasn’t tall enough to ride. Some employees like Darcy were lazy enough not to check the kids’ heights before allowing them inside.  
  
“Stop the car!” Erik commanded Garret, holding onto the handle above his window.   
  
Jane kicked Garret’s foot off the gas pedal and instantly hit the brake. The car screeched into a complete stop, making the passengers inside whiplash against their seat, except for AJ because he was strapped in his car seat. The man outside fell of the hood and landed on the concrete road face down.  
  
“Real smooth, Brad,” Darcy complimented him sarcastically.   
  
“You ran over the same guy twice – smooth!”  
  
“Shut up, Darcy!” Garret snapped.   
  
Jane and Erik exited the vehicle to see the big man laying there in obvious pain. Both didn’t hesitate to help him up on his feet.  
  
“I’m so sorry, Sir!” Jane apologized.  
  
“I swear that we’re not doing this on purpose!”   
  
The man squeezed his eyes and groaned in obvious pain.   
  
“You come here… to abduct in you… grr-tar-tar-boom,” his voice was slurred, wagging a finger in the air instead of holding his arms to keep him from falling backwards.  
  
“You come to torture the son of Od… One-eye guy…” Thor didn’t finish his sentence as his world slowly darkened.  
  
“Whoa!” Jane grabbed his shoulders, pulling back towards her, while Erik held him from behind.   
  
The professor’s face flushed when he saw the ties of Thor’s gown undone. He fumbled the strings to keep the robe from showing off the man’s bum.  
  
“Easy. Easy,” the woman patted Thor’s cheeks, hoping to keep him conscious.  
  
“Please, open your eyes. Please. We’re not here to hurt you. We need your help.”   
  
“Hell… Help…”   
  
“Yes, help. We need your help.”  
  
Thor blinked his eyes open and frowned, bringing his face close to hers. Jane couldn’t help but lean back, repulsed by the smell of alcohol in his breath.  
  
“Please, sir. Can you come with us?”  
  
The woman squeezed her eyes as her voice pitched as the man violated her personal space.  
  
“We’ll give you bandages for those scrapes, ibuprofen-“   
  
“And clothes,” Erik added.  
  
“Yes, whatever!” Jane cried in a dismissive manner, anything to convince this man to come with them.  
  
“Whatever you want, just come with us.”  
  
“Which…” Thor grumbled, his jaw hung up as his eyes widened in a daze.  
  
Jane pinched her brows, wondering what he was trying to say.   
  
“You… witch…”   
  
“Excuse me?”   
  
“You bewitch me, witch. Witch…”  
  
Jane blinked, not sure that meant to be an insult or a compliment. She didn’t have the chance to ask for Garret popped his head through the roof, demanding Thor to stay away from her. The muscled man raised his brows at the boy, he probably didn’t pick up what he said. Garret mistook it for intimidation, for he quickly ducked back inside the van.

Whatever Thor meant, Jane interpreted it as acceptance. Both the mentor and mentee guided him to the backseat, only for Jane to catch a glimpse at the parted knot from the bottom of Thor’s gown that dangled back and forth by every step they had taken. Her cheeks reddened at the round buttocks and his defined thighs. She wondered what other parts of his body were substantial.   
  
“Jane,” Erik scolded.   
  
The woman quickly looked away, her flushed face remained. She continued to apologize to the man frantically all the way back to the lab.


	9. Chapter 8: Cray-Cray Or Con?

As Catherine was enjoying the view of Asgard, she felt her magic spike up again. She ran into the bathroom and once again placed her glowing hands until her magic had calmed down. She massaged her scalp as her elbows rested uncomfortably on the bowl, her face hovering above it. She hated this feeling.  
  
Why do bad things happen to her? What had she done to deserve this cruelty?  
  
Catherine reached her arm out to grab the bathroom counter and pulled herself back on her feet, only to find herself face-to-face with her reflection.   
  
She frowned, disapproving the way she looked at the moment. Hair messy and her skin was all dirty. She really needed a bath.   
  
Catherine exited the bathroom and gasped with fright, noticing a young woman present.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” the girl apologized with haste, “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”  
  
“No,” Catherine paused to catch her breath, “I just didn’t hear the door open or somebody knock, that’s all.”  
  
“Forgive me, My Lady. I should’ve knocked louder.”   
  
Catherine dismissed her apology with a wave, “No. No. It’s fine.”   
  
She paused to take the girl’s appearance.   
  
The blonde was older than Catherine, probably looked five or tens years. She had extensive curls tied behind her pink dress, reminding Catherine of Barbie. The perfectionist doll could look glamorous in anything, especially in rags. But Catherine would not change her looks, she liked who she was. Catherine noticed her holding in one hand and clean robes in the other. The Barbie doll must be the maid Frigga had sent.  
  
Catherine stepped closer and held her hand out for the girl to make her acquaintance, “I’m Catherine.”  
  
The girl stared at her hand, questionably.   
  
Did she know how to greet somebody? Had she shaken somebody’s hand before?   
  
Catherine looked at the maid’s hands, reminding herself that they were full. No wonder. Catherine lowered her hand and cleared her throat, ending the awkward silence.   
  
“I’m Nanna, my lady,” the girl curtsied before her as if Catherine was royalty.   
  
Catherine held her tongue for telling her to not do that. Nobody has ever bowed to Catherine or called her ‘my lady’ before. This royal arrangement felt awkward and Catherine felt she didn’t deserve this respectful treatment.  
  
Catherine did have a huge imagination in her early years: dress up in beautiful ballgowns, having balls with her stuffed animals, dancing with her imaginary prince. Naivete had never been her common sense though. She was well aware about the cruelty in her messed-up world. She had known this first hand as a small baby.   
  
“I’m here to bring you food and clean clothes,” Nanna gestured the tray in her hand.   
  
Catherine nodded, “Right. Thank you.”   
  
Nanna placed the tray at the footstool, then laid Catherine’s new clothes on the bed.  
  
“Is there anything else I can do for you, my lady?”  
  
“Two things,” Catherine admitted.  
  
“One: feel free to call me ‘Catherine’. I’m not royalty or anything. And Two: is there a shower anywhere?”  
  
“Shower, my l-“ Nanna paused when Catherine glared at her, realizing that her lady wanted to be called by her real name, “I-I mean Catherine.”   
  
“Yeah,” Catherine nodded.  
  
“A shower, a bath, a place where I can wash with soap and water.”   
  
Hopefully, this girl knew what she’s talking about.   
  
“Oh!” Nanna nodded in understanding, pointing at the bathroom inside.  
  
“We don’t have what you call a shower, but we do have a tub in the bathroom to cleanse yourself.”  
  
Catherine furrowed her brows at the girl as if she was crazy, “Nanna, I’ve been in the bathroom, and I don’t see a tub anywhere.”   
  
“Did you go through the door?” Nanna asked curiously.  
  
“Door? What door?”  
  
All Catherine remembered seeing in the bathroom was a toilet and a bowl of water on the counter for handwashing.  
  
Nanna sped past Catherine, who turned to the maid curiously, not sure what she’s doing. The maid inserted a key in the hole, which Catherine didn’t have time to observe before. It revealed a hidden door with a flight of steps downstairs.   
  
The maid whirled around and motioned the teen inside, “Right this way, my lady.”   
  
Catherine followed behind Nanna with anticipating eyes. She ignored the fact that Nanna was acting formally again. She was curious to see what’s down there. There wasn’t a rail to hold onto. Afraid to fall because of her still troubled state, Catherine leaned against the walls, allowing Nanna to lead.   
  
Once they have made it to the bottom, Nanna looked up at Catherine with a shy smile and opened her arms, “Here we are, My Lady.”   
  
Catherine almost fainted at the sight from downstairs.   
  
The room below was large, with an open 180-degree view outside. There laid beautiful flowers and statues – that’s not what captured her attention. It was a large, circular pool in the centre. She slowly walked to the tub and cautiously dipped her finger inside, testing the temperature.   
  
Usually, when Catherine takes a shower or swims, the water would be cold at first. She had to move around to get used to it, not in Asgard. This gigantic swimming pool was a hot tub. This place was like a spa, better than the kind she went to for Kelsey’s fourteenth birthday.  
  
“Does this meet your approval?” Nanna asked curiously.   
  
Catherine laughed, shaking her head, “My approval?”   
  
She turned around and smiled at the maid, “I’m far from that, Nanna! I’m ecstatic! Look at this place. It’s absolutely beautiful!”  
  
Nanna smiled with relief, “I’m glad you think so, my lady.”  
  
Catherine wished to jump in with her clothes on and swim around the warm, refreshing water, but her grumbled stomach had another idea. She was indeed famished; her face flushed with embarrassment by the noise.  
  
“Sorry,” she uttered.  
  
“Don’t be, my lady,” Nanna offered a reassuring smile.  
  
“Would you like me to fetch your breakfast and clothes while you relax in your surroundings?”   
  
Catherine looked up at her in shock, “You would do that?”   
  
Nanna nodded, “Of course, I’ve been instructed to make your stay here as comfortable as possible.”   
  
“You’ve done a great job at that. Thank you.”  
  
“Is there anything else I can help you with, my lady?”   
  
Catherine paused, thinking through her questions in careful consideration.  
  
“Yeah, actually. Could you show me where you keep the toiletries – you know the shampoo and conditioner… maybe soap?”   
  
Nanna furrowed her brows at her brows, “Do you mean the oils?”  
  
Catherine nodded.   
  
Nanna bowed, once again to her lady, “Right this way.”  
  
She led Catherine to a cabinet that kept the products inside. “I’ll be back for your necessities, my lady.”   
  
Catherine was alone to eat her breakfast and bathe herself. She enjoyed the toasted bread, fruit, and sunny side up eggs and a goblet of hand-made apple juice.   
  
Making sure no one was looking, she stripped her dirty clothes and stepped inside the pool; its depth was up to her waist. She bent her knees, getting her whole body wet except for her head. Catherine swam her way to the centre of the pool, facing a golden pole with a lever. Curious to know what it was for, she pulled it. Suddenly, cold water rained down from the ceiling, soaking her hair and chilling her skin. She gasped and squeezed her eyes shut in shock as the drops rapidly beat her skin. She quickly pulled the lever again that ceased the waterfall.  
  
“Don’t have a shower, hm?” she asked giggling, spitting the water out of her mouth.   
  
  
  
  
  
What Catherine didn’t know was that the maid wasn’t who she seemed to be. When Nanna exited the chambers, her body shimmered green. The girl’s blonde hair darkened; her everyday clothing melted into gold and green attire; her thick rosy lips stretched into a white, thin smirk.   
  
The trickster god had done it again. He had ditched the breakfast feast to visit the girl, posing as Frigga’s attendant. He managed to find Frigga’s appointed maiden instead and insisted on taking the items to Catherine himself. The girl was baffled at this but didn’t dare to question the prince. To avoid suspicion, Loki cloned himself, that’s currently eating and making small talk. He fooled everyone, as always.  
  
His first impression of the girl was odd. Catherine was different, of course, she’s from Midgard. What’s strange was that she refused to let somebody wash her. Not that he wished to do it, for a prince washing a commoner was preposterous and awkward. Still, she was engaging, polite, and very kind. He planned on getting to know her, and this time, he will meet her as Loki Odinson and not a simple maid whose name he’d forgotten.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After signing the release papers at the hospital, the gang had taken Thor back to Smith Motors. Jane provided him with clothes to change into. The pants she gave Thor belonged to Garret, who was currently pant less. Both he and Erik felt that bringing Thor here was a bad idea, but the rest didn’t see a problem with it.   
  
Thor walked out of the bathroom in Garret’s pants but remained shirtless. Darcy, AJ, and Jane couldn’t help but admire Thor’s six-pack. AJ thought about knocking the man’s belly to feel how much fat was underneath. He bet Thor’s abs would be just as hard as steel.  
  
Darcy wasn’t afraid to stare and paid the guy a compliment, “You know, for a crazy homeless guy, he’s pretty cut.”  
  
Jane was walking around the room, trying to pay attention to her research journal. However, her eyes wandered elsewhere to Thor’s body. If Darcy thought he was hot by his six-pack, then the woman should see his sculpted butt. Jane quickly darted her eyes back at the journal, shaking those indecent thoughts out.   
  
Garret couldn’t help but feel intimidated by Thor, who received stares from the girls, including AJ, while he got annoyed looks instead **(mostly from Darcy)**. However, he never wandered around the lab shirtless before because he thought it would be impolite. The teen might just do that the next time he comes here. It could work or receive rotten tomatoes instead.  
  
“I think he looks better with his shirt on,” Garret mumbled.   
  
“Shut up, Gary,” Darcy spat.  
  
“If the guy wants to keep it off, it’s fine with me.”   
  
Garret rolled his eyes, “Sure, it is.”   
  
“I’m sorry I tased you!” Darcy apologized to Thor, who made it over to Jane’s lab table containing various research tools, some that AJ knew not to touch.  
  
AJ jumped off his chair and went over to Thor, looking up at him as if he was a giant, which he was in AJ’s eyes, “Jane said not to mess with that.”   
  
Thor looked down at the boy before kneeling in front of him to match his height, “Jane? Who be this ‘Jane’?”   
  
“My aunt over there,” AJ pointed at the woman, whose eyes quickly averted to the pages of her book.  
  
She didn’t want Thor to catch her staring, specifically his backside.  
  
“Your aunt, you say?” Thor asked.  
  
“Yes, Sir,” AJ confirmed.  
  
“Is your name really _Thor_?”  
  
Thor smiled, bowing his head at the boy, “That I am, young man. Thor Odinson – King of Asgard – God of Thunder. To whom am I speaking?”   
  
AJ reached his arm out for a handshake, “I am Andrew Jackson, future third-grader of Willowdale Elementary. Nice to meet you.”   
  
Thor stared at AJ’s hand as if he was a mysterious object.  
  
“I have no idea what that means,” he admitted, standing up instead of shaking AJ’s hand.   
  
AJ narrowed his eyes at Thor questionably.   
  
What part didn’t he understand? AJ’s name? His school? A handshake?   
  
Thor looked at his hand as if he didn’t know how to shake it in greeting.   
  
Thor started fiddling with a cord that was charging Catherine’s phone. He picked up the device and began pressing buttons. Jane noticed and instantly ran over to stop him from causing damage.  
  
“Excuse me! Excuse me!” she snatched the phone from Thor and placed it back on the table.  
  
Jane stepped beside AJ and couldn’t help but check out Thor’s bare torso up close and personal. Her cheeks heated up as she looked away.   
  
“Um… S-Sir, do you mind?” Jane asked, indicating the shirt Thor was holding.  
  
“Yeah! Do you mind?!” Garret demanded.   
  
Thor glared at the boy, who quickly turned away to avoid Thor’s intense gaze. The crazy giant still scared Garret to the core. Thinking about the bruises on his arms, he should know better than to open his big mouth to the Hulk-wannabe.  
  
Thor looked down at the T-shirt in his grasp, ready to put it on, but noticed something significant.   
  
“What is this?” Thor asked in confusion, pointing at a name tag on his shirt.  
  
“Oh,” Jane cringed at the familiar name written on the tag – Dr. Donald Blake.  
  
She stripped it off from the shirt, looking away embarrassed.  
  
“My ex,” Jane explained sheepishly.   
  
“Good with patients and bad with relationships.”  
  
“Why do you even have his shirt?” Garret questioned Jane curiously, relieved that he didn’t have competition.   
  
“Would you like me to give him your shirt too?” Jane suggested the eighteen-year-old.   
  
Garret shook his head, “No, ma’am.”  
  
“Then zip it.”   
  
Garret raised his palms defensively, abiding by the woman’s request.  
  
Jane turned back to Thor, explaining the shirt, “They’re the only clothes I could find that would fit you.”   
  
Thor slipped the clothing on, despite Darcy’s plea to leave it off. He was used to the heavy armour, but never tight pants. He might require the older man’s trousers instead.  
  
“They will suffice,” Thor replied, walking away without stating his appreciation.   
  
“You’re welcome,” Jane grumbled quietly.  
  
“This mortal form has grown weak,” Thor barked.  
  
“I need sustenance.”   
  
“He needs what?” AJ asked out loud.   
  
“Food,” Selvig answered while staring down at Thor suspiciously.  
  
“He needs food.”   
  
“Um…” Jane nodded.  
  
“Okay, Sir, what would you like to eat?”   
  
“Do you peasants have a roasted pig in your kitchen?”   
  
Everyone’s mouths dropped at Thor’s blunt question.  
  
“Peasants? Did that hunk just call us ‘peasants’?” Darcy asked Erik.  
  
Her pitched voice showed that she was offended by the handsome man.  
  
“I so much want to slap the beard off his face,” Garret mumbled angrily.   
  
How dared this man think he was better than everyone else in the room. As much as Garret wanted to fight for his honour and Jane’s, the man’s intimidation silently told the teen to remain seated.   
  
“No,” Jane answered with a filter in her tone, holding back unnecessary words, “we don’t have a pig.”  
  
“I don’t even eat pig,” AJ added.  
  
“You don’t?” Thor asked AJ in shock.  
  
The boy shook his head.   
  
The man walked over to AJ and poked his arm to test the state of his flesh, careful not to bruise him, “You need some meat in your bones, boy. Otherwise, you will be fatter than my good friend, Volstagg.”  
  
“We’re not going to cook a pig,” Jane said sternly.   
  
How dare this man to call her nephew fat.   
  
“As I said before, we don’t have one.”   
  
“How about a toasted pop tart?” Darcy suggested.   
  
Thor furrowed his brows at the girl, confusedly, “What’s a pop tart?”   
  
Darcy’s eyes brightened, getting up from her seat, “Oh! You’ll love it! The best thing to eat in the mornings!”  
  
Garret shrugged, “Can’t argue there. Chocolate chip is my favourite.”   
  
“Mine too!” AJ agreed.  
  
Thor was silent in hesitation, which turned into reluctant acceptance, “Alright. I will be willing to try what you mortals call a pop tart.”   
  
He sat down on the chair next to Garret, who quickly shuffled a safe distance.   
  
Thor clapped his hands together like a king summoning his servants, “Feed me!”   
  
Everyone didn’t move, only stared at him as if he was crazy.   
  
“Oh, hell, no!” Darcy shook her head.   
  
“How dare you defy me?!” Thor snapped.   
  
“I demand food now!”  
  
He banged his fist against the table in frustration.   
  
“Not with that attitude!” Darcy explained, crossing her arms over her chest.   
  
“If you want food, you have to say the magic word.”   
  
“Magic word?! I know nothing about this magic word!”   
  
“Then no pop tarts for you!”  
  
Thor leaned back against his chair and folded his arms, pouting – a look that AJ used to make when things didn’t go his way. AJ made it over to Thor’s side and tugged his T-shirt.   
  
“What is it that you want, boy?!” Thor demanded angrily.  
  
“Are you too blind to see that I am in a crisis?!”   
  
“Hey, don’t talk to my nephew like that!” Jane pointed the warning finger at him.  
  
It’s bad enough when he called the team ‘peasants’, but calling her godson ‘fat’ before treating him like scum was something she won’t tolerate.   
  
Thor wasn’t afraid of a lot of things: monsters, trolls, even Frost Giants. However, looking at Jane was like looking at his mother; she was, too, silent but deadly.   
  
He raised his hand and said softly, “I did not mean to raise my voice, Lady Jane.”   
  
Jane raised her brows from Thor’s reference to her, ‘Lady Jane’? It had a nice ring to it, but she debated whether to like it or not. She was still mad that he snapped at her nephew.   
  
AJ went up to his tippy toes and whispered something to Thor’s ear. The man pulled away and blinked, he didn’t know whether or not the boy was pulling his leg. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Nobody would feed him unless he said the magic word first. He glared at Darcy, who stared at him with expectancy.  
  
“Darcy, fix me some pop tarts… _please_ ,” Thor said the last word quietly and with hesitation.  
  
Darcy smiled with satisfaction, “Ding. Ding. Ding! You finally figured out the magic word. Now your wish is my command.”   
  
  
  
  
  
The trucker who failed to pull Mjolnir threw a barbecue party at the crater. One by one – some were drunk while others remained sober – many men attempted to pull Mjolnir from the rocky ground, unsuccessfully. They even chained the hammer to the back of a white pickup truck, hoping that would do the trick. However, the hammer proved to be a worthy adversary, for it tore apart the truck’s tailgate.   
  
The driver, Stan Lee, stuck his head out the window and asked, “Did we do it?”  
  
All laughed heartedly in response, continuing to have the time of their lives.   
  
Meanwhile, a black sedan was parked on a hill, far away from the party. A man dressed in a suit stepped out of the vehicle and removed his shades to observe the scene before him. Eventually, he turned away to make a call.   
  
“Sir… we found it,” he confirmed.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Once Catherine cleaned up and dressed, she was ready to leave the bathroom, but not before looking at herself in the mirror. She smiled at the way she looked. She was a huge fan of dresses and always will be, and she liked the colour and the texture of the dress. It was pink silk, smooth to the touch. She loved it.   
  
Catherine went back upstairs to the guest’s room to face the blonde maid again, not expecting her to still be there.   
  
“Holy shit!” she cried.   
  
They gasped and commented on how they were scared at the same time.   
  
“You scared me!” Catherine cried, putting a hand on her chest to control her breathing.   
  
Was this how they’re going to meet every time?   
  
“You gave me such a fright,” Nanna stated as she quickly regained her composure.  
  
“I-I was coming to fetch you when you finished cleaning up. You look lovely in those robes, my lady. Did the meal satisfy you?”   
  
“The food was great. Everything has been great. Thank you,” Catherine said kindly as she finally caught her breath.  
  
“And please, call me _Catherine_.”  
  
Nanna paused, unsure about that simple request, “Well, anyway, now that you are well fed and pristine, it’s time that I escort you to the royal library.”  
  
Catherine furrowed her brows in confusion, “The library? What for?”  
  
“I haven’t been given a reason, my lady. I only follow orders. Now please follow me.”   
  
Catherine nodded as she followed right behind the maid. It’s been a while since she had set foot in a library. Living with her aunt and grandfather had caused to get her home schooled, but she did go to the free book shop occasionally. In these days and age, people rely on the internet for research.  
  
Catherine could picture the royal library in her mind; it’ll probably be massive like the one in the Beauty and the Beast movie.  
  
“Nanna!”   
  
The young girls whirled around to see the queen calling out to them. Nanna and Catherine lowered themselves when Queen Frigga was standing superiorly before them.  
  
“Nanna, where have you been?” Frigga demanded.  
  
“The matron finds you absent from your duties.”   
  
Catherine scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.   
  
“Forgive me, My Queen,” Nanna bowed her head, her lips twitched.  
  
“I have been ordered to escort Lady Catherine to the library.”   
  
Frigga showed a knowing smile on her face.  
  
“Who exactly ordered you to escort her to the library, _Nanna_?” Frigga demanded.   
  
Nanna opened her mouth to speak but debated whether to reply to the question. She was frightened, fearing the outcome if she were to spill the beans.   
  
“Nanna, why don’t you return to your quarters and report back to the matron?” Frigga suggested.   
  
“We shall continue this discussion later.”   
  
Nanna lowered her gaze, filled with shame.   
  
She reluctantly obliged to the queen’s request, “I shall, Queen Frigga.”   
  
She fast-paced away from the queen and the mortal. Catherine was wholly dumbfounded by what just happened.   
  
“Uh… What was that about?” Catherine narrowed her eyes, confused.  
  
“Is she okay?”   
  
“She will be fine, Catherine. I apologize for the deceit.”   
  
Catherine blinked.  
  
Deceit?   
  
Frigga let out a laugh, “Catherine, the maid you’ve met isn’t who she appeared to be.”   
  
“I… I don’t understand. Who is she?”  
  
“Not she, but he.”   
  
Catherine was now completely flabbergasted, “Pardon?”  
  
“The maid you’ve met was my son.”  
  
“Y-Your son?” Catherine questioned out loud, still sceptical that she met a guy disguised as a girl.  
  
“I met the God of Thunder?! Thor?!”  
  
She never thought this to be possible. The blonde was too pretty to be the muscled god. This couldn’t be right.   
  
Frigga shook her head with a smile, “No, my other son: Loki.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Thor wasn’t satisfied with two pop tarts, so Darcy made some more. Two… Four… Half dozen… One box of pop tarts later, everyone could still hear the growls from Thor’s belly. They all decided to take him out for a breakfast feast at the local diner. Jane and AJ knew they needed something in their system since they hadn’t eaten with the others. They all sat down at the family size table. After placing their order and the waitress returning with their food, everyone was distracted by Thor’s barbaric eating. He was stuffing pancakes in his mouth with his bare hands.   
  
Erik instructed him to eat with a knife and fork. Just because the man used to eat like an animal didn’t mean he had to be one in front of the patrons. Some children were present.   
  
For a split second, Jane imagined Thor as her nieces instead. Pancakes were always Catherine and Kelsey’s favourite food for breakfast. Thinking about the sisters, Jane returned to the matter at hand, demanding information.  
  
“How’d you get inside that cloud?” Jane implored him.   
  
“Also, how could you eat an entire box of Pop-Tarts and still be this hungry?” Darcy added, watching the handsome man stuffed his mouth with food.   
  
Thor ate as if he hadn’t eaten for days.  
  
The three burly men at another table stared at Thor. If they were having an eating contest, Garret wouldn’t hesitate to enter Thor and split the prize money. Garret had seen his father’s buddies eat like pigs before, but Thor could beat them easily. How wasn’t this muscle man 400 pounds? Garret didn’t have a clue. This broke the concept of healthy habits.   
  
AJ now had a revelation. He wanted to be like Thor when he grows up. AJ desired to have Thor’s muscles, his beard, his shoulder-length hair, even his deep voice. If AJ wanted to be like the arrogant god, he needed to start acting like him.   
  
With that thought in mind, AJ decided to stuff big pieces of waffles into his mouth.   
  
“Smaller bites, Andrew!” Erik scolded the boy.  
  
“You’ll choke if you eat like that!”   
  
AJ rolled his eyes, then felt a piece of waffles stuck in his throat. Holding back the urge to cough, AJ quickly showered the portion down with chocolate milk. Erik was right; this eating method can choke him to death.   
  
How could Thor eat like this?  
  
“Excuse me?” Jane patted the table for Thor’s attention.  
  
“I need answers!”   
  
“Relax, Jane. Let the poor man eat,” Darcy said, not taking her eyes off the handsomeness across from her.  
  
“He’ll answer our questions soon.”   
  
Thor finished two large pancakes and sipped **(what Darcy and Garret called)** coffee. He stared at the mug while licking his lips in deep thought.   
  
“Well?” Garret asked with a nervous smile.  
  
“What do you think?”   
  
He couldn’t believe that this man had never tried coffee. Catherine and Kelsey never liked coffee, but at least they tried it before. They’re weird for not wanting it. Maybe this Thor character will be joining her on the list of weirdoes.   
  
“This drink…” Thor looked up at the group and smiled.   
  
“I like it.”   
  
“I know!” Darcy agreed.   
  
“It’s great, right?”  
  
“Another!” Thor shouted and unexpectedly smashed the empty coffee glass down onto the floor, making everyone jump and look at him as if he were crazy.  
  
Jane, Darcy, and maybe Garret screeched with fright.   
  
AJ looked at the mess and decided to do the same with his kid’s cup.

“Another!”   
  
Before AJ could throw his cup to the ground…  
  
“No! No! No!” Erik caught the cup and placed it back on the table, giving AJ the same scolding look.   
  
AJ smiled sheepishly at Erik, pulling off the innocent face.   
  
“What the hell?!” Garret practically shouted in disbelief.   
  
Jane got up from her seat to pick up the glass pieces from the tiled floor.  
  
“Sorry, Izzy,” Jane apologized to the lady behind the counter.   
  
“Just a little accident.”   
  
She threw away the broken mug and sat back down on her chair.   
  
“What was that?!” she demanded Thor, completely baffled.   
  
“It was delicious,” Thor answered casually to Jane as if his actions were typical.   
  
“I want another.”  
  
“Well, you could have just said so.”  
  
“I just did,” he stated with a smug look.   
  
“No, I mean, ask _nicely_.”

“I meant no disrespect.”   
  
“All right. Well, no more smashing. Deal?”   
  
There was a long pause before Thor nodded in agreement, “You have my word.”   
  
Jane sighed with satisfaction, “Good.”   
  
Garret couldn’t help but smile, impressed by the way Jane handled the situation. Her firmness and feistiness were the things he liked about her.  
  
 _“Atta girl, Jane,”_ Garret said to himself.  
  
 _“Way to show him who’s boss.”_  
  
A bell rang when two local men entered the diner and set themselves down at the bar.   
  
“You missed all the excitement out at the crater!”   
  
One of the local men gossiped to Izzy.  
  
“They’re saying some kind of satellite landed out in the desert.”   
  
The team’s ears perked up and listened to the man’s words intently, curious to know what the guy was talking about.  
  
“Yeah, we were having a good time with it until the Feds showed up,” another man said.  
  
Jane looked at the men over her shoulder, then spoke up, “Excuse me. Did you say there was a satellite crash?”  
  
“Yeah,” one of the men responded to her.   
  
She and Garret exchanged a look.  
  
Could it be the shooting star they saw?   
  
“Oh my God, this is going on Facebook,” Darcy said, pulling out her phone and held it up about to take a picture.  
  
Garret got up from his seat and stood behind Thor. AJ scooted close to Thor to be in the picture.   
  
Darcy frowned, seeing the two boys in her shot.   
  
“Can I be in the picture too?” AJ asked.  
  
Darcy shrugged, “Why not. Smile!”   
  
Instead of smiling, Garret made a duck face and place two fingers behind Thor’s head, making bunny ears. AJ put two fingers inside his mouth to widen it and stick his tongue out. Thor looked at both their amused faces with confusion. If that’s how Midgardians smile, then he should respect their culture. He decided to make a funny face on his own, curling his mouth downward, forming a Stinky face.   
  
Darcy took the picture and turned the phone around to show the boys the picture. AJ laughed, while Thor and Garret weren’t satisfied.  
  
“We look silly,” AJ uttered.   
  
“My eyes were closed!” Thor observed.  
  
“You cut my head off!” Garret stated.  
  
“Yeah, so?” Darcy asked innocently.   
  
“Do a retake!”   
  
“Nope. Sorry. No, retake,” Darcy smirked at him.   
  
“I already put it on Facebook. Hashtag: Stinky Petes.”   
  
Garret rolled his eyes, returning to his seat next to Jane.   
  
“That is one funny face you made,” AJ complimented.   
  
Thor furrowed his brows questionably, “Was I not doing it right?”   
  
AJ laughed and shook his head, “No way! We were all making a funny face. Yours is the best!”  
  
Thor smiled back at the boy and patted his back, “Thank you, my friend. I am glad it pleases you.”  
  
“What did it look like? The satellite?” Selvig asked the man from the bar.  
  
The local men turned towards Selvig and responded, “I don’t know anything about satellites, but it was heavy! I mean, _nobody_ could lift it.”  
  
Thor lifted his head, intrigued by what the man was saying. Once he finished his plate, Thor got up from his chair and headed over to the local men at the bar.   
  
“They said it was radioactive,” the local man said.  
  
“I had my hands all over it.”   
  
Thor gripped the man’s shoulder and asked, “Which way?”   
  
The customer looked up at Thor, shaking slightly from the man’s intimidation.   
  
He responded, politely as possible, “Fifty miles west of here.”   
  
Thor let go of the man’s arm and exited the Diner.   
  
“What’s he up to now?” Garret asked out loud.  
  
As soon as Thor left the building, everyone followed after him. Erik hurried to pay their tab plus tip - $42.00. Thor walked out into the streets, blocking the cars in different directions as many people honked their horns and spat curses at him. Thor wasn’t paying attention; his primary focus was following the local’s directions. AJ widened his eyes at Thor’s recklessness. He learned to always look both ways before crossing, but this guy didn’t care about safety.

“Where are you going?” Jane asked, catching up to Thor.   
  
“Fifty miles west of here,” he recited the course.   
  
“Why?!”   
  
“To get what belongs to me.”   
  
“You own a radioactive satellite?” Garret asked in shock.   
  
“It’s not what they say it is.”  
  
“Then what is it?” AJ asked curiously.  
  
“It doesn’t matter what it is,” Erik said.   
  
“The government seems to think it’s theirs. So you just intend to go in there and take it?”   
  
“Yes,” Thor stated.  
  
Now everyone believed he was crazy.   
  
He turned to Jane with a proposition in mind, “If you take me there now, I will tell you everything you wish there is to know.”  
  
Jane’s eyes lit up in hope, “Everything?”  
  
“Yes. All the answers you seek will be yours once I reclaim Mjolnir.”  
  
“Myeu-muh?” Darcy asked with confusion, mispronouncing the word.  
  
“What’s myeu-muh?”  
  
“Isn’t that a tv show?” Garret wondered, recalling the anime title on TV.  
  
“Can I have a word, Jane?” Erik pleaded.   
  
The research team followed Erik to the side, away from Thor. They don’t need to ask what’s on his mind, for it was apparent.  
  
“Please don’t do this.”   
  
“We both saw what happened last night,” Jane whispered.   
  
“Minutes before Garret and I saw the crash, didn’t we, Garret?”   
  
“Unfortunately,” the black boy grumbled.   
  
“See? This is no coincidence. We have to find out what’s in that crater.”   
  
“But I’m not talking about the crater; I’m talking about him,” Erik clarified, sounding deeply concerned for Jane, not just for her safety but sanity.  
  
Everyone glanced at the strange man who called himself ‘Thor’.   
  
“He seems harmless,” Darcy dismissed the concern with a shrug.  
  
Garret glared at Darcy as if she said something stupid.   
  
“Did you see what he did last night?” he challenged.   
  
“Didn’t you taser him for freaking you out?! He freaked me out! He threatened all of us, even me!” Garret hit his chest, gesturing to himself.  
  
“And I didn’t even get an apology. If this guy wasn’t unstable, I would’ve sued him for the bruises on my body and emotional distress.”  
  
“I like him,” AJ stared in awe at the man.   
  
Erik rolled his eyes along with Garret.  
  
“But he promises us the answers!” Jane spoke excitedly.  
  
“He might know what happened to Catherine and Kelsey.”   
  
Erik shook his head, “He’s delusional. Listen to what he’s saying. He’s talking about Mjolnir, and Thor, and Bi-Frost. It’s the stories I grew up with as a child.”   
  
“Are you listening to what I’m saying?” Jane said desperately.  
  
“He might know what happened to Catherine and Kelsey. The three of them were inside that storm cloud, and we have no idea what it is or how it happened. He might know. Just let me drive him! Please! It’s the only way to find out what happened to them!”   
  
“What if he doesn’t?” Garret asked.  
  
Jane glared at him sternly, “Garret!”   
  
“I mean it, Jane. We don’t know who the hell he is. Either he’s cray-cray or a con man. I’m going with cray-cray.”  
  
“Careful, Garret,” AJ warned.  
  
“The man has ears, you know.”   
  
Everyone looked at Thor, who waved and smiled, probably acknowledging that he heard everything that had been said. Garret cursed, waving back at Thor sheepishly.  
  
“My. My. Look who’s jealous,” Darcy cooed, earning a stern look from Garret.   
  
“Shut up, Darcy. No one asked you.”  
  
“The point is,” Erik interrupted the argument before it escalated.  
  
“We don’t know who this guy is and why he’s after the satellite. He’s dangerous, Jane. We don’t know what he’s capable of.”  
  
“Dude, watch it. The guy has ears,” Garret hissed, keeping his eyes locked on the crazy man.  
  
The teen looked down on his red converse the second Thor’s steel-blue eyes turned his way.  
  
“But what if he’s more than a man?” AJ suggested.   
  
“What if he’s telling the truth? He could be the God of Thunder! Anything is possible, right?”   
  
Erik shook his head and sighed sadly, “AJ, you really need to get your head out of your comic books.”   
  
“He’s right, you know!” Jane jumped to AJ’s defence.  
  
“Anything is possible. My nieces are missing, and I’m willing to look through all the possibilities to find them, no matter how ridiculous the possibilities seem.”   
  
Erik shook his head, recalling those words from a good friend, “I’m sure there is a logical explanation for Catherine and Kelsey’s disappearance.”   
  
“What is the logical explanation, Erik?” Jane challenged him, crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
“Suppose you tell me.”   
  
“I… I haven’t thought of one yet.”   
  
“That’s right! You don’t have one, but that guy-“ Jane pointed at Thor, who sighed heavily as his patience started to wear thin, “knows! We have to do this!”  
  
“You’re not rational, Jane!” Erik cried, trying to get through to her.  
  
“Don’t forget that you’re not only a scientist, but you’re a guardian right now!”  
  
Jane frowned but nodded in agreement, “You’re right… I am, and I already lost two children. I’ll do anything to find them! Especially Catherine! She’s been like a daughter to me!”  
  
“You say that, but you didn’t include their legal custodian.”   
  
Jane cringed at Erik’s words, once again. AJ lowered his head in guilt, wishing that he could call and explain the truth, but couldn’t for the sake of his cool aunt. The boy might not see her again if the story spread in Virginia. He wrapped his arms around Jane’s waist and held her tight.   
  
Darcy awed at the cuteness, teasing the boy that Jane might have cooties. AJ argued that Jane didn’t have cooties because she’s cool. Jane tried not to cry as she assured her nephew that everything would be okay by rubbing his back.  
  
“Perhaps,” Erik suggested, “if we contact-“   
  
“No,” Jane declined in a hiss, pressing the boy’s ears against her leg to prevent him from hearing the conversation, “both me and Catherine will be dead if I do that, and you know it.”   
  
Garret widened his eyes at that thought. He instinctively stepped towards Jane and posed a though demeanour, assuring the woman was in good hands. All ignored him and moved on to the subject at hand.  
  
“Maybe,” Erik agreed, “but we both know you will go to prison if you go through with this. Deep down, you know I’m right.”  
  
Tears threatened to fall from Jane’s eyes, shaking her head in denial, “Don’t say that. I can’t think about that now.”  
  
“It’s a possibility, Jane. Do you care if AJ loses his aunt, too?” Erik gestured to the small boy, hugging the woman.  
  
Jane looked down at AJ, who stared back at Jane. A sad smile crossed Jane’s face as she petted AJ’s hair. The boy frowned at her belittling action.   
  
“Please don’t do this,” Garret pleaded.   
  
After processing her colleague’s words of wisdom, Jane frowned as she strolled back over to where Thor was standing and told him with painful reluctance, “I’m sorry… but I can’t take you.”  
  
“No!” AJ cried in protest.   
  
Why did Doctor Erik have to ruin the fun?   
  
Thor was disappointed but understood, “Then, this is where we say goodbye.”   
  
Jane jumped in surprise as the blonde man took her hand in his and kissed the back of her palm. AJ stepped away from Jane and contorted in disgust. “  
  
Um… thank you,” Jane giggled, completely baffled.  
  
No one had ever done that to her, not even her ex. It was hard to find a real gentleman these days.   
  
Garret scoffed at that simple gesture, while Jane blushed like a schoolgirl.  
  
Darcy smirked at Garret’s sudden anger.   
  
She leaned over to him and whispered, “Do you have a problem, Bradley?”   
  
Garret didn’t reply, looking displeased at couple.   
  
Thor smiled at Jane before addressing his new ‘friends’, “Jane Foster, Erik Selvig, Andrew Jackson, Darcy…”   
  
Thor furrowed his brows at the black male, who narrowed his eyes dangerously at him.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t recall your name, Sir.”   
  
“What’s it to you?” Garret demanded.   
  
Jane glared angrily at the teen boy, “Garret!”  
  
“What?” Garret demanded.  
  
“I don’t see why he would care!”   
  
“Sir Garret,” Thor caught the name as he bowed his head to him in a respectful manner.   
  
Garret involuntarily shook from the pleasant feels.  
  
Sir Garret?   
  
It had a nice ring to it. Better than Stinky Pete.  
  
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance with you all,” Thor declared, “but I must bid you farewell.”   
  
Thor was about to take his leave but stopped when little arms wrapped around his leg. He looked down in surprise.  
  
“What in Valhalla…”   
  
He realized that AJ was holding his leg.  
  
“Please don’t go!” the boy begged.  
  
“AJ! Get away from him!” Erik commanded.  
  
“Does he have to leave now?” AJ asked.   
  
Thor pried AJ out of his grasp and set him back on the ground, “I must, my dear boy. I must get back what’s rightfully mine.”  
  
“You need to let him go, AJ,” Jane said softly.   
  
“Can we at least give him stuff for his trip? Like food, new clothes, something! I heard rumours that it’s going to be raining.”   
  
“No!” Garret snapped.   
  
“I already lost a pair of pants; I refuse to lose my boxers. Plus, this is New Mexico; this place barely rains.”   
  
“You know…” Jane made a face that people used when a plan came to mind.  
  
“You’re right, AJ. I still have his clothes in the washer.”  
  
“We can give him the rest of pop tarts,” Darcy suggested.  
  
“Oh, and we can give him Garret’s jacket!”  
  
“No!” Garret turned to the leader for support.  
  
“Jane, you can’t be serious!”  
  
“It’s a Christian thing to do,” Jane pointed out with a shrug.  
  
Thor furrowed his brows at Jane’s words.  
  
The Christian thing to do? What’s that?   
  
He had never heard of that term before. After his task of getting his hammer back and return to Asgard, he’ll ask his mother what it meant.  
  
Garret rolled his eyes, recalling those words from his mother. She always taught him to help someone in need, even if they’re the enemy. Thor was the enemy; he didn’t deserve any kindness from anybody. But his mother’s nagging about helping people annoyed him. Garret imagined Jane being appreciative of him if he did decide to give away his jacket. His conscience won’t go away until he lent a helping hand. With that in mind, the boy sighed in defeat.  
  
“Fine.”  
  
Jane, Darcy, and AJ smiled with satisfaction. Erik shrugged his shoulders, not bothering to put his two-sense in it. Once they handed Thor supplies for the trip, he would be out of their lives for good.   
  
“Good,” Jane clasped her hands together.  
  
“We’re all in agreement.”   
  
“That is very kind of you,” Thor began, “but-“   
  
“No, buts!” AJ snapped.  
  
“You ate a box of pop tarts, an orange, two pancakes, two scrambled eggs, a cup of coffee, and shared half of my waffles! Imagine being hungry on the road with nothing big to eat.”   
  
Thor let out a laugh “I see your point.”  
  
“Yay!” Darcy cheered.  
  
“Let’s get moving and fill the hunk’s trick-or-treat bag.”   
  
She had taken the lead while the others followed her.  
  
AJ held Thor’s hand, earning a questionable look from the taller man.   
  
“Did Lady Darcy refer to me as a hunk?” Thor asked.  
  
AJ shrugged, “Pretty much.”  
  
“What’s a hunk?”   
  
The boy paused before he admitted his answer, “Not sure exactly. I heard Kelsey use that word for her favourite actor on TV.”   
  
“Do you realize I have no idea what you are talking about?”   
  
“Yeah, I know. It’s confusing. The truth is I have no idea about girls, and I don’t want to know about them either. They have cooties.”   
  
Darcy’s ears perked up, hearing AJ’s words, “Ouch! You wound me, AJacks.”  
  
She turned around, walking backward, “And just for that, I might consider giving you a kiss.”   
  
AJ gasped in fear, “No!”   
  
He grasped Thor’s pant leg, shielding himself from Darcy, who was making kissy faces while laughing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“L-Loki?” Catherine asked out loud.  
  
“He was Nanna?”   
  
Frigga nodded, “Mm-hm. I thought he was acting strangely during breakfast. It might’ve been his duplicate.”   
  
“Duplicate?”  
  
“My son possessed my power of trickery. He can duplicate and disguise himself into someone else as well as make illusions.”   
  
Frigga didn’t have to explain to Catherine who Loki was. He was the God of Mischief – an amazing actor. She wouldn’t have suspected the maid was him.  
  
“Don’t feel foolish, Catherine. He’s normally well at fooling everyone except one.”  
  
“Who?”   
  
Frigga’s corner lips curled upright into a smirk instead of a gracious smile, “Why me, of course. I’m the one who taught him those tricks.”   
  
Catherine was baffled that a mother didn’t mind these tricks.   
  
But who was she to judge?   
  
At least one parent expressed pride for both of her children.   
  
“Right,” Catherine nodded.   
  
“You’re his mother, after all.”   
  
“Precisely.”  
  
“Why would he go through all that trouble, disguising himself as a maid and tricking me?”  
  
“I believe he is desperate to meet you.”  
  
“If he was desperate, why couldn’t he meet me himself without the disguise?”   
  
“I know not his reasons. I told him to eat in the dining hall. I noticed he has not been eating recently with his brother gone and…” Frigga paused, almost hesitant to finish, though her eye contact spoke volumes.   
  
“My sister and I?” Catherine assumed.   
  
The queen nodded, “Yes. He was the one who found the two of you and brought you to the healing room.”   
  
“That was him?” Catherine was astonished.   
  
She had expected that Loki was a selfish trickster who didn’t care about anyone but himself. But the man she had seen was the complete opposite of it. The man she had seen was kind, caring, and a perfect gentleman.   
  
“Yes. He’s worried about you and still is.”  
  
“Well… I guess… I shouldn’t keep him wait any longer. I want to meet him and thank him properly.”   
  
“You will, but first… You need to come with me,” Frigga started walking, and Catherine didn’t hesitate to follow.   
  
They were going the opposite way to the library.  
  
“Where are we going?” Catherine asked curiously.   
  
“To the throne room,” Frigga replied.  
  
“Where we will meet the great Odin All-Father, my husband.”   
  
Catherine froze still and widened her eyes in disbelief, “Odin?! You mean Odin as in-“   
  
“Yes, the King of Asgard.”  
  
Catherine felt her magic pulse into her veins, and her heart started racing.   
  
She thought meeting the queen was scary, but meeting the king?   
  
Well, that is a whole new level.

**Author's Note:**

> Catherine is based off Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones.


End file.
